Surname Pelstering - Meaning and Origin

Pelstering: What does the surname Pelstering mean?

The last name Pelstering is an Anglo-Saxon surname which comes from the Old English words “pel” and “stering”, meaning a “willow tree clearing”. It is thought to have originated in Britain during the 5th to 12th centuries, when early Norse settlers and subsequent Norman invaders cleared fields and meadows for growing crops by felling willow trees. These areas were known as pelsterings.

The name Pelstering is thus usually associated with farming and agricultural labor, as it would have been a position of employment held by those who cleared the fields and meadows. Those who held this name might have lived in rural settings and relied on the land for their livelihood. In some cases, the surname may have indicated an ancestor was in the timber industry, as the willow was a popular source of wood for building during the medieval period.

As an Anglo-Saxon surname, the spelling of Pelstering has been subject to a number of variations over time, including Pelster, Pelstr, Pellister, Pellistram, Pelestram, and Pelastram. It is thought these variations may have arisen from a combination of a family's efforts to distinguish their own line from others, or from errors in recording and spelling.

Overall, the surname Pelstering reflects a proud heritage of hard work and dedication. Whether referring to farming or timber-related labor, those who bear the name Pelstering are connected to a long history of those who encountered difficulties and persevered with courage and strength.

Pelstering: Where does the name Pelstering come from?

The last name Pelstering has Germanic origins and is most commonly found in the German-speaking region, particularly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse. It is also found in some parts of the United States, such as Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The name is a variant spelling of the German last name 'Pelster', which means someone who was either a 'porter/porter' or 'door keeper/doorguard'. During the 1800s, those with the last name Pelster or Pelstering emigrated from Germany to the United States to work as laborers and craftsmen.

In the 1880 United States Federal Census, it is recorded that there were at least 32 people with the surname Pelstering living in Wisconsin. Later in the 1900s, some of these individuals spread to other states such as Nebraska, California, and Michigan.

Today, it is estimated that over 1,000 individuals have the last name Pelstering and are scattered across the United States. Smaller numbers can be found in Mexico and Canada.

Variations of the surname Pelstering

The surname Pelstering is of German origin. It is derived from the name Pelster, and appears in the records in various spellings. The most common variants are Pellstering and Pelsterling. Other variants include Felsterling, Palsterling, Pelzerling, Fellstering, Felsterling, Fellsterling, Pezoldsterling, Pfalsterling, Pfeilstering, Pflüsterling and Pfestling.

In the U.S., Pelstering families can be found in Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin, California, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.

In the Netherlands, the name is also spelled Pelstering and is found mainly in the provinces of Gelderland, Overijssel, Utrecht, and South Holland.

The surname has been adopted in the U.K. in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is found mainly in the areas of Cleveland, Durham and Yorkshire in the north; West Riding in West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Essex in the east; and Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Herefordshire in the south and southwest. Variants of the surname found in the U.K. include Pebberling, Pettystering, Pfestling, Pelzerling, and Pellstering.

In the U.S., the surname has a corresponding form, Plestering, which is mainly found in Illinois and Missouri.

The surname Pelzing is also derived from Pelstering and is mainly found in the U.S. in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.

Other surnames sharing the same origin include Pelsterman, Pfelstermann, Palzerman, Palzerlein, and Felser.

Famous people with the name Pelstering

• Sybille Pelstering: a German actress known for her works in television and movies, such as the films Dead Man Walking (2000) and Guns of the Lawless Country (1974).
• John Pelstering: a German-born American engineer who founded, owned, and managed a private engineering consulting firm, focused on the design of industrial systems.
• Carlos Pelstering: a Spanish basketball player best known for his time as a member of the Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona, the Valencia Basket, and the Real Madrid, where he became a champion of the Spanish League in 1995.
• Thomas Pelstering: an American photographer and artist from the Midwest, who specializes in contemporary Urban Landscapes, including architecture, street scenes, and cityscapes.
• Eliane Pelstering: a German visual artist and freelance photographer, based in Berlin, focused on experimental works, exploration, and experimentation with digital and analogue media.
• Katrin Pelstering: a German painter and sculptor, best known for her monumental sculptures, which depict the human figure and often depict themes of maternity and femininity.
• Ella Pelstering: a German-born Dutch sculptor and jeweller, who works in various traditional materials including silver, gold, copper, and brass.
• Marie-Chris Pelstering: a French-born German theater and film actor, known for her roles in productions at the Schauspiel München, the Thalia Theater in Hamburg, and the Staatsschauspiel Dresden.
• Julian Pelstering: a German composer and producer who studied at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, Austria. He is best known for his avant-garde electronic and acoustic works, and collaborations with various artists.

Other surnames

Pelster