Surname thom Felde - Meaning and Origin
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thom Felde: What does the surname thom Felde mean?
The last name Thom Felde is of German origin, originating from the former feudal area in the state of Hesse. The name Thom Felde means “dweller from the field”, or someone who lived and worked on a large estate or farm. This last name likely belonged to a family that was part of the peasant class of society.
In the Middle Ages, many peasants resided in large rural estates and were often referred to by the name of the estate they lived on as a surname. They were usually dependent laborers and had an obligation to perform religious and legal obligations to the feudal lord that owned the land. They paid a portion of their crops or produce to the lord in return for his protection, as well as a tie to the land so that they could not easily be displaced. This could explain how the name Thom Felde came to be.
The term “felde” also came to be associated with a particular type of farming. In Central Europe, a “felde” was an area of farm land enclosed by a ditch and/or wall with a roadway through it, often with a small settlement located alongside it. This type of ‘closed’ field provided a degree of protection from outside threats, such as wildlife or robbers, which was essential for early rural societies.
Therefore, it is likely that the name Thom Felde was taken on by a family of medieval peasants living and working on a ‘Felde’ where they cultivated and reared animals in exchange for paying a portion of their produce to the lord of the estate.
Order DNA origin analysisthom Felde: Where does the name thom Felde come from?
Thom Felde is a fairly uncommon surname today. It is mainly found among families of Scandinavian or German ethnicity. It is found most prevalently in the United States, primarily in the Midwest states like Wisconsin and Minnesota, as those areas have sizable populations of both of these ethnic groups. Many of the immigrants to these areas in the 1800s and early 1900s likely adopted the surname and it is now seen in the generations descended from them.
It is also occasionally found in the Netherlands, where many Dutch citizens with the last name emigrated to the United States. It is also found in Canada, Australia, and a few European countries like Germany and Denmark. Furthermore, the surname has spread beyond the countries of its origin and is now seen in places like Brazil, Mexico, and other countries in Latin America.
Thom Felde is not an entirely uncommon name, but it is far from common. Wherever it appears, it is likely related to the Scandinavian and Germanic roots of the name, suggesting its adoption by immigrants or other travelers who bore the name and passed it along to their heirs.
Variations of the surname thom Felde
The surname Thom Felde is generally believed to have a Germanic origin, derived from the personal name “Thoma”, which is derived from “Thomas”, a Hebrew name meaning “twin”. Spelling variants of Thom Felde include Thomfeld, Thomfel, and Thomfelde. Also, surnames that are related to it, and have similar meaning, include Feldman, Feldmann, and Falke.
Thom Felde is a surname with many historical sources found in records from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Poland. These records show that it was most commonly present in the regions of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony.
The spelling variants of the surname differ in various regions and sources. For example, Thomfeld was the most common form of the surname in Austria, while in Bavaria, the forms Thomfel and Thomfell were used, and in Poland, Thomfelde was used.
The surnames Feldman, Feldmann and Falke also derive from the same origin as Thom Felde. The surname Feldman originated as a variant of the name Thom Felde in Poland, and made its way into many other regions as well. Similarly, Feldmann seems to have evolved from the name Thom Felde, as it is an alternative spelling which shows the addition of a second “n”, and is found in Germany, Austria and Poland. On the other hand, Falke is a name derived from a nickname, which was coined in the Middle Ages, and can be found in Germany, Austria and Poland as well.
Overall, the surname Thom Felde has many variants, spellings and related surnames which originate from the same source.
Famous people with the name thom Felde
- Liam Felde-Thom: A British filmmaker best known for his work on the documentary, 'The Unorthodox: The Story of the Yeshiva World.'
- Owen Felde-Thom: A filmmaker and actor, Owen is best known for his films such as 'One Way Trip' and 'The Bridge'.
- Rachel Felde-Thom: A photographer based in London, Rachel has created a wide variety of portraits, including for the Music Week, NME, and The Titanic Foundation.
- Jonathan Felde-Thom: A composer, sound designer, and educator, Jonathan is a teacher at the BFI and lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music.
- Ben Felde-Thom: An award-winning British actor, Ben has starred in several comedy films and series, including 'The Office'.
- Mary Felde-Thom: A humanitarian and activist, Mary is the founder of the London-based charity, The Giving Collective.
- William Felde-Thom: A well-known architect, William has designed a wide range of projects ranging from hospitals to film studios.