Welsh (surname)
Welsh is a surname from the Anglo-Saxon language given to the Celtic Britons. The surname can also be the result of anglicization of the German cognate Welsch. A popular surname in Scotland.
Etymology
It appears that the etymology of the name Welsh is derived from the Anglo-Saxon adjective wilisc or wielisc, an adjective derived from the noun wielisc, a term for a Roman or Roman subject. These terms were used by many ancient Germanic peoples to describe inhabitants of the former Roman Empire over the Alps, Rhine, and North Sea, who spoke Latin or Celtic languages. The Old High German walh became walch in Middle High German and the adjectival walhisk became MHG welsch. In present-day German, Welsche refers to Romance peoples, the Italians in particular, but also the French and the Romanic neighbours of the German-speaking lands in general.
The Anglo-Saxon variant wilisc of the Proto-Germanic root was applied to the native British peoples encountered by the Saxon invaders and settlers during the 5th and 6th centuries AD. Over the succeeding centuries the term wilisc morphed through Middle English into Welsh, becoming an epithet at once more specifically for the Welsh people, as England became increasingly populated with Anglo-Saxons.
People
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Word/name | Anglo-Saxon |
| Meaning | Foreigner, Stranger, Romano-Briton (Celt). |
| Region of origin | British Isles |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Walsh, Walshe, Welch; German cognates: Welsch, Walsch, Walch |
- Barry Welsh, comedy character played by John Sparkes
- Chris Welsh, former baseball pitcher and current announcer the Cincinnati Reds
- Christie Welsh, American soccer player
- David Welsh, Scottish religious leader
- Freddie Welsh, Welsh World Lightweight boxing champion
- George Welsh, a college football coach
- Irvine Welsh, Scottish author
- John Welsh (English footballer), a player for Hull City, England
- Mark Welsh, 20th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
- Matt Welsh, Australian swimmer
- Matthew E. Welsh, American politician and governor of Indiana
- Peter Welsh, New Zealand steeplechase runner
- Paul Welsh, British television and radio correspondent
- Sean Welsh, Scottish footballer
- Thomas Welsh (basketball), American basketball player
- William Welsh (footballer)
References
External links
See also
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.