Surname Schulde - Meaning and Origin
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Schulde: What does the surname Schulde mean?
The surname Schulde is German in origin and has quite a few meanings. In some cases, it is derived from the German word schuld meaning 'guilt', 'fault', or 'debt', in which case it likely indicated a person associated with the law or justice, such as a judge, attorney, or bailiff. Similarly, it may have also come from a word meaning 'town officer' or 'servant of the court'. Alternatively, it may have some connection to the old German word schulden meaning 'owe' or 'duty', or have even derived from the name of an old Germanic clan Schulde.
In some cases, the name Schulde may also be a diminutive of the German or Dutch personal name Schult or Schultz, which signify 'village officer' or 'bailiff'. In its masculine form the name was also sometimes spelled as Scholder or Schuldner, while in its Latinized form it might be spelled as Schulthe or Schultei.
Other possible meanings of the surname could include 'scholar' or someone who was 'scholarly', as in educated and knowledgeable. It may also be associated with the rather popular surnames Schultheis or Schulte, derived from the Middle High German schultheiß, meaning 'magistrate'.
Regardless of its origin, the surname Schulde is quite an old one and is still found among today's German- and Dutch-speaking populations.
Order DNA origin analysisSchulde: Where does the name Schulde come from?
The last name Schulde (or Schulden) is most commonly found in Germany. Schulde derives from the German word for guilt or debt, and as such, it is generally thought to have originated as an occupational surname for a lawyer or debt collector. According to the 1990 German census, there were approximately 8704 people with this surname living in Germany.
Today, the name Schulde is still found with relative frequency throughout 2.5 million records in Germany's Telefonbuch, the online phone directory. It is also found throughout Europe, mostly in small numbers in countries like Austria, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, where one can find a few hundred Schulde households. Outside of Europe, it has spread to countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The highest concentrations of Schuldes are found in the German states of Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, and Lower Saxony, which together account for more than half of all Schuldes in Germany. In the United States, the name is most commonly found in states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, where there are more than 1000 people with this surname.
In sum, the essential derivative meaning of Schulde and the occupation of many of its initial bearers combined to create a surname that remains strongly associated with northern and western Germany in the present day.
Variations of the surname Schulde
The surname Schulde is a German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "sculde". It was used to denote a person who was responsible for calculating the amount of money to be paid for different services. This type of operator was found in medieval courts, city governments and other administrative bodies. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Schulde include:
Schuld: This is one of the most commonly seen variants and spellings of the surname Schuld. It is found mainly in Germany and is widely used by people in the Netherlands.
Schulte: This variant changed the original spelling of the surname from Schulde to Schulte. This spelling variant is more often seen in the United States and Canada.
Scholtz: This variant spelling of Schulde is generally found in the United States and Canada and denotes a person who was responsible for calculating amounts of money.
Scholde: This alternate spelling of Schulde is found mainly in the United States and is often used by people of German descent.
Schilde: This variant spelling of Schulde is found mainly in the United States and Europe, denoting an individual who was responsible for calculating or collecting payments.
Schult: This variant spelling of Schulde is mainly found in the United States and Canada and is often seen used by those of German descent.
Schuldt: This variant spelling of Schulde is seen mainly in the United States and denotes someone who was responsible for calculating or collecting payments.
Schule: This spelling variant of Schulde is found mainly in Germany and is used by many of German descent living in the Netherlands.
Other surnames with a similar origin are: Schulin, Schuller, Schulz and Schulman.
Famous people with the name Schulde
- Robert Schulde: German actor, writer and director.
- Geert Schulde: Dutch footballer who played for clubs like Vitesse Arnhem and ADO Den Haag.
- Georg Schulde: German architect and a professor at the Darmstadt Technical University.
- Barbara Schulde: Research Scientist at the Centre for Energy Schrödinger in Berlin.
- Jasper Schulde: Professional Dutch snowboarder, who is part of the Red Bull team.
- Jochen Schulde: German former footballer who played for Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen.
- Alexander Schulde: German chemist and an assistant professor at the Technical University of Munich.
- Felix Schulde: German composer and pianist, who has composed and produced his own original works.
- Willem Schulde: Dutch long track speed skater who competed at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics.
- Margot Schulde: German photographer, bookbinding expert and collector of musical instruments.