Surname Scheidlin - Meaning and Origin
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Scheidlin: What does the surname Scheidlin mean?
The last name Scheidlin is a German surname, derived from the oldest known written form of the word, which was originally ‘schaidling.’ This name can be translated to mean a ‘divided meadow,’ which is likely indicative of the job held by the first known Scheidlins. The name implies that the person with the last name Scheidlin was a farmer who owned a division or smallhold of land in an area characterized by meadows.
By the 1840s, this name became established in German-speaking regions of Prussia and Austria. Documents from this period refer to the ‘Schaidlingen’ cooperative, which was operated by local farmers in the region around the town of Ilsenburg.
As with many other German last names, this surname was likely taken by one of the many government or civic officials responsible for maintaining records related to landholding in their region. This means that Scheidlins may have been identified as those citizens who occupied a particular meadow, which was then noted in the records.
Since the middle of the 19th century, the Scheidlin family has spread to several countries around the world thanks to early emigration and the ongoing movements of modern-day descendants. Nowadays, many Scheidlins are proud to carry this distinguished German last name and to remember its roots in the rural heart of Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisScheidlin: Where does the name Scheidlin come from?
The last name Scheidlin is most strongly associated with Germany and other parts of northern Europe. While the name is primarily found in Germany, many people with the last name Scheidlin or its variants are known to have immigrated to the United States and Canada.
In the United States, the most prominent states with the highest concentration of Scheidlin are Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin. There are also Scheidlins in other states like Florida, Texas, and Illinois. In Canada, people with this last name can be found in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.
The last name Scheidlin is also common in some other countries including Australia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. It's quite likely that modern Scheidlin have roots in these countries.
The etymology of the name points to the region of Saxony in Germany, where it is believed to have originated from a place known as Scheidling. The name, however, can be found throughout the world today, thanks to migration and immigration of people bearing the Scheidlin surname.
Variations of the surname Scheidlin
The surname Scheidlin has several variants, most noteworthy being Sheddle, Scheedel, Scheidel, and Scheedell. Each have appear in continental Europe, specifically in Republic of Germany. Spellings of this surname typically have an "e" before it, however the 'lin' suffix is changed to 'ling'. Where the spelling of the surname changes, it is usually written as 'Scheldlin' or 'Scheldlinger'.
Variations of the surname Scheidlin can be found back as far as the 1600s where it was a quite common name in the eastern part of Germany. In German, the word Scheidlin, means a 'Judge', and it was originally used as a nickname for a person who as a judge at a court, which lead to a common occupational name.
It is important to note that many alternate spellings for a surname are created when the original bearer of the name did not know how to read or write. Within today's society, parents are placing variations of the same spelling on their children's birth certificates.
To summarise, the surname Scheidlin has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Sheddle, Scheedel, Scheidel, Scheedell, and Scheldlin, Scheldlinger. Other changes could have likely been created due to a lack of education or a desire to adopt a unique name.
Famous people with the name Scheidlin
- Martin Scheidlin: German politician who served as Minister of Justice of Baden-Württemberg from 1998 to 2006.
- Theodor Scheidlin: Swiss mathematician best known for his work on real algebraic curves, and in particular for the Chevalley-Shepherd-Todd theorem.
- Wolfgang Scheidlin: German physicist and full professor at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
- Georges Scheidlin: French theologian, church historian and professor of liturgy at the Protestant Theological Faculty of Strasbourg.
- Günther Scheidlin: German lawyer and former President of the LKA Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Esther Scheidlin: German-born Swiss professor of Roman law, jurist and legal scholar.
- Ingo Scheidlin: German cyclist who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics.
- Helmut Scheidlin: German general and Chief of Staff of the German Bundeswehr from 1981 to 1983.
- Albrecht Scheidlin: German historian and professor of Slavic studies at the University of Münster.
- Elisabeth Scheidlin: German lawyer and legal historian.