Walter (name)
Pronunciation | val-ter, (Walter, German)
valt-her (Walther, German) walt-er (Walter, English) |
---|---|
Gender | Male |
Origin | |
Word/name | Old High German |
Meaning | powerful warrior, bright warrior, forest warrior |
Region of origin | Northern Europe |
Other names | |
Nickname(s) | Wally, Walt |
Related names | Valter, Valtyr, Wouter, Gauthier, Gualtiero, Gutierre, Valteri, Valters |
Look up Walter or Walther in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Walter or Walther is a German masculine given name derived from Old High German Walthari, composed of the elements walt- (Proto-Germanic *wald-) "power", "brightness", "forest", and hari (Proto-Germanic *χarja) "warrior".[1]
The name was first popularized by the famous epic German hero Walther von Aquitaine and later with the writer Walther von der Vogelweide.
The name is first recorded the 6th century, with Walthari son of Wacho, who was king of the Lombards during 539–546. Old High German forms are recorded as Walthari, Waltari, Walthar, Waltar, Waltere, Waldheri, Waldhere, Waltheri, Walthere, Walther, Walter, Waldher, and Valter. The Old English equivalent is Wealdhere, Old Norse has Valðar and Valdarr.[2]
The name entered the French language as Gauthier, Spanish as Gutierre and Italian as Gualtiero. The modern Dutch form of the name is Wouter. The German name has also been adopted in a number of languages in the spelling Valter.
The Latinized form is Waltharius, the title of a poem of the late 9th or early 10th century on the legendary Gothic king Walter of Aquitaine. A fragmentary Old English poem on the same character is known as Waldere. Jacob Grimm in Teutonic Mythology speculates that Walthari, literally "wielder of hosts", may have been an epithet of the god of war, Ziu or Eor, and that the circumstance that the hero of the Waltharius poems loses his right hand in battle may be significant, linking him to the Norse tradition of Tyr.
Geographical distribution[]
As of 2014, 43.5% of all known bearers of the surname Walter were residents of Germany (frequency 1:643), 23.4% of the United States (1:5,374), 5.0% of Nigeria (1:12,307), 4.0% of France (1:5,814), 2.0% of Austria (1:1,467), 1.9% of England (1:10,157), 1.8% of Brazil (1:38,529), 1.6% of Australia (1:5,113), 1.4% of Angola (1:6,511), 1.3% of Canada (1:9,641), 1.3% of Switzerland (1:2,176), 1.2% of Ghana (1:7,682), 1.1% of Argentina (1:13,353), 1.0% of Poland (1:12,776) and 1.0% of South Africa (1:19,181).
In Germany, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:643) in the following states:[3]
- Baden-Württemberg (1:386)
- Bremen (1:422)
- Brandenburg (1:450)
- Hesse (1:526)
- Saxony-Anhalt (1:539)
- Rhineland-Palatinate (1:599)
- Thuringia (1:603)
- Bavaria (1:606)
- Saxony (1:621)
- Saarland (1:627)
Given name[]
- Walter, Count of Rethel (died 1262), French nobleman
- Walter (abbot of Evesham) or Walter de Cerisy (died 1104), English church leader
- Walter (archbishop of Sens) (fl.887–923), French church leader
- Walter (bishop of Rochester) (died 1182), English church leader
- Walter (bishop of Wrocław) (fl.1149–1169), Episcopal Walloon
- M. Walter F. Abeykoon, Inspector-General of Sri Lanka Police from 1959 to 1963
- Walter W. Arndt (1916–2011), German-American translator
- Walter Lewis Baily, Jr. (1930–2013), American mathematician
- Walter Bender (born 1956), president of One Laptop Per Child Software and Content
- Walter Bender (Canadian football) (born 1961), American player of gridiron football
- Walter Bentley (died 1359), English Commander in Hundred years war.
- Walter Blackman, American Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives
- Walter Braithwaite, British army officer and General
- Walter Brennan (1894–1974), American Oscar-winning actor
- Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt, German general (General of the Infantry) during World War II, one of the principal commanders of Demyansk Pocket
- Walter de Coutances (died 1207), Archbishop of Rouen and Chief Justiciar of England
- Walter von Cronberg, 38th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
- Walter Cronkite (1916–2009), American journalist
- Walter Crucce, Argentine boxer
- Walter Day (born 1949), American businessman, musician, & retired video game referee
- Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541–1576)
- Walter "Walt" Disney (1901–1966), American film producer, animator, voice actor and entrepreneur, pioneer of the American animation industry
- Walter Duranty (1884–1957), Anglo-American journalist
- Walter von Eberhardt, German military commander during World War I and Latvian War of Independence
- Walter Eisfeld (1905–1940), German Nazi SS commandant of Sachsenhausen concentration camp
- Walter Feit (1930–2004), American mathematician
- Walter Fernando, Sri Lankan Sinhala air chief marshal, Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force from 1986 to 1991
- Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow, medieval Scottish nobleman
- Walter fitz Alan, twelfth-century Scottish magnate and Steward of Scotland
- Walter Forster (disambiguation)
- Walter Flanagan, host of the Tell 'Em Steve-Dave and star of AMC's Comic Book Men
- Walter Gericke, German paratroop officer in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II and a general in the Bundeswehr of West Germany
- Walter Godefroot, retired Belgian road bicycle racer and cycling team manager
- Walter Gretzky (1938–2021), Canadian cable repairman and father of Wayne Gretzky
- Steve Conway (singer) (born Walter James Groom; 1920–1952), British singer
- Walter Gropius, (1883–1969), German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School, widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture, a leading architect of the International Style
- Walter Hahn, Austrian professional wrestler
- Walter Hagen, German general, aviator, pilot in the Luftwaffe during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany
- Walter Hagen, American golfer
- Walter Heitz, German general (Generaloberst) in the Wehrmacht during World War II, one of the principal commanders of Battle of Stalingrad
- C. Walter Hodges, English artist and writer best known for illustrating children's books and for helping to recreate Elizabethan theatre
- Walter Jayawardena, Solicitor General of Sri Lanka from 1967 to 1968
- Walter Johnson, American baseball player
- Walter von Keudell (1884–1973), German forest expert and politician
- Walter Keane (1915–2000), American plagiarist, known for claiming MDH Keane's big-eyed waif paintings as his own
- Walter Kirn, American author
- Walter Koenig (born 1936), American actor
- Walter R. Kramer (1914–1995) U.S. badminton champion
- Walter Kreye (born 1942), German actor
- Walter Lantz, American animator, cartoonist, and film producer
- Walter Luchetti (born 1937), Italian politician
- Walter Lübcke (1953–2019), German politician
- Walter Martos (born 1957), Peruvian retired military general and current prime minister of Peru
- Walter Matthau (1920–2000), American actor
- Walter Mazzarri, Italian football manager
- Walter Mercado, Puerto Rican astrologer
- Walter Mondale, American politician, vice president (1977-1981) and 1984 Democratic presidential candidate
- Walter "Junie" Morrison (1954–2017), American funk musician, member of the Ohio Players
- Walter Andreas Müller (born 1945), Swiss actor and comedian
- Walter Murch, American film editor and sound designer
- Walter Dean Myers, American author
- Walter Niephaus, German chess master
- Walter D. O'Hearn, Canadian journalist
- Walter Olkewicz (1948–2021), American actor
- Walter Ophey (1882–1930) German painter
- Walter Packer, American football player
- Walter Palmore (born 1996), American football player
- Walter Payton, American football player
- Walter Pedraza, Colombian road-cyclist
- Walter Pidgeon, Canadian actor
- Walter Poddubny, Canadian hockey player
- John Walter Pop, birth name of the spiritual leader Rolling Thunder
- Walter Raleigh, English explorer
- Walter Rauff, German Nazi SS colonel accused of directing the killing of hundreds of thousands of Jews in mobile gassing vans
- Walter Ritz Swiss physicist
- Walter Romberg, (1928–2014), German politician
- Walter Samuel (born 1978), Argentine footballer
- Walter Schellenberg, German SS functionary during the Nazi era
- Walter Schreifels, American musician
- Walter Schirra (1923–2007), American Mercury Seven astronaut
- Walter Scott (1771–1832), Scottish novelist and poet
- Walter Scott (disambiguation), several people
- Walter of Serviliano, Italian hermit, abbot and saint
- Walter Short, American lieutenant general, responsible for the defense of U.S. military installations in Hawaii at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
- Walter Sillers, American lawyer and planter
- Walter Sillers Jr., American politician and white supremacist
- Walter Sisulu (1912–2003), South African politician.
- Walter Smith, Scottish football player and manager
- Walter Shaw Sparrow (1862–1940), British writer on art and architecture
- Walter Stahlecker, German Sicherheitspolizei (Sipo) and Sicherheitsdienst (SD) commander
- Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach, German World War II general, one of the principal commanders of Demyansk Pocket
- Walter Stewart (disambiguation), several people
- Walter Tetley, American child actor
- Walter Tewksbury, American athlete
- Walter Thurnherr, Swiss government official, Chancellor of Switzerland
- Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973), German politician, leader of East Germany, 1950–71
- Walter Veltroni (born 1955), Italian writer, journalist and politician
- Walter Waalderbos, Dutch footballer
- Walter Whitman (1819–1892), American poet, journalist, essayist and humanist
- Walter Bruce Willis (born 1955), American actor
- Walter Willison, Tony Award nominated American actor, singer, writer, director, producer
- Little Walter (1930–1968), American blues harmonica player
- Walter Zapp (1905–2003), Baltic German inventor
- Walter E. Zink US Army Major General
Pseudonym[]
- Walter Plinge, British theatre pseudonym used when the original actor's name is unknown or not wished to be included
- Walter aka Valter, code name of WW2 hero Vladimir Perić
- "Agent Walter", early codename of Josip Broz Tito
- Walter, pseudonym of the author of My Secret Life (erotic memoir)
Fictional[]
- Dr. Walter Bishop, a scientist on the 2008–2013 TV series Fringe
- Walter Clements, Internet Meme of a white bull terrier (real name Nelson)
- Dr. Walter Jenning, a character in the 1986 American science fiction movie Howard the Duck
- Walter, a character in the 2005 American science fiction adventure Zathura: A Space Adventure
- Walter, a synthetic android introduced in the 2017 Ridley Scott film Alien: Covenant
- Walter (Muppet), a Muppet character introduced in the 2011 film The Muppets
- Walter, a puppet of ventriloquist Jeff Dunham (born 1962)
- Walter the Softy (real name Walter Brown), arch-enemy of Dennis the Menace from The Beano comic since 1953.
- Walter Donovan, the main antagonist of the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- Walter E. Kurtz, the main antagonist of the 1979 film Apocalypse Now
- Walter Longmire, the title character in Craig Johnson's A Longmire Mystery Series and main protagonist of A&E and Netflix's LONGMIRE television series
- Walter Mitty, the title character in James Thurber's 1939 short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- Walter Nichols, a character in the Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh
- Corporal Walter Eugine "Radar" O’Reilly, from the 1968–1986 M*A*S*H franchise of books, movies, and television
- Walter, one of the protagonists in the 2005 film Zathura
- Walter Newell, secret identity of Stingray (comics), a Marvel Comics character since 1967
- Walter Peck, a character in the 1984 American supernatural comedy movie Ghostbusters
- Walter Powell, a character in the American sitcom television series Charles in Charge
- Walter Smith, a character in the Nintendo video game Ninja Gaiden
- Walter Sobchak, Vietnam veteran and best friend of "The Dude" in the Coen Brothers' 1998 film The Big Lebowski
- Walter White, the protagonist of the 2008–2013 TV series Breaking Bad
- Walter Joseph Kovacs, the secret identity of the vigilante "Rorschach" in Watchmen since 1968
- Walter Blythe, a character in "Rainbow Valley" (1919), "Anne of Ingleside" (1939), and "Rilla of Ingleside" (1921)
Surname[]
Medieval[]
- Walter, or FitzWalter, an armigerous family in Norman England
- Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland
- Hubert Walter (c. 1160 – 13 July 1205), English archbishop and justiciar
Early modern[]
- Johann Walter (1496–1570), German composer and poet
- Thomas Walter (botanist) (1740–1789), British-born American botanist
- Anton Walter (1752–1826), German piano maker
- Ignaz Walter (1755–1822), Austrian opera singer and composer
Modern[]
- Andrew Walter (born 1982), American football quarterback
- Ben Walter (born 1984), Canadian ice hockey player
- Bianca Walter (born 1990), German short track speed skater
- Bruno Walter (1876–1962), German-American conductor and composer
- Carl Walter (c. 1831–1907), German-Australian botanist and photographer
- David Walter (disambiguation), several people
- Emma Walter (1833/34–1893), British artist
- Eugene Walter (1921–1998), American writer and actor
- Francis E. Walter (1894–1963), American politician
- Fritz Walter (football executive) (1900–1981), German football executive
- Fritz Walter (footballer born 1960), German footballer
- Fritz Walter (politician) (1896–1977), German politician
- Fritz Walter (1920–2002), German footballer
- Harriet Walter (born 1950), British actress
- Harvey Washington Walter (1819-1878), American lawyer and railroad business executive
- Hellmuth Walter (1900–1980), German engineer
- Howard Arnold Walter (1883–1918), American Congregationalist minister, author, and hymn writer
- Hubert Walter (1930 — 2008), German anthropologist
- Jamie Campbell-Walter (born 1972), British professional racing driver
- Jean Walter (1883–1957), French architect
- Jessica Walter (1941–2021), American actress
- Joachim Walter (born 1940), East German football player
- Joe Walter (American football) (born 1963), American football tackle
- Joe Walter (footballer) (1895–1995), British football player
- Joe Walter (Ohio politician) (born 1947), former member of the Ohio House of Representatives
- Joseph Walter (1783–1856), British marine artist
- Kevin Walter (born 1981), American football wide receiver
- Ottmar Walter (1924–2013), German footballer
- Otto F. Walter (1928–1994) Swiss journalist, author and publisher
- Owen Walter (born 1979), Canadian ice hockey defenceman
- Raymond Walter (born 1972), New York State Assemblyman
- Ruedi Walter, (1916–1990) Swiss comedian and actor
- Ryan Walter (born 1958), Canadian hockey player
- Silja Walter (1919–2011) Swiss author and Benedictine nun
- Thomas U. Walter (1804–1887), American architect
- Tracey Walter (born 1947), American character actor
- Ulrich Walter (born 1954), German astronaut
- Young Singleton Walter (1811-1883), American politician
See also[]
- Valter
- Vladimir (name)
- Wallace (disambiguation)
- Walther
- Wally (disambiguation),
- Walt, name
- Walters (disambiguation)
- Wat (disambiguation)
- Walker, unrelated but has a similar spelling
- Waldemar (disambiguation)
References[]
- ^ INL - Wouter
- ^ Förstemann, Altdeutsches Namenbuch (1856), 1244f.
- ^ Walter surname distribution
- Given names
- Surnames
- Germanic given names
- English masculine given names
- Scottish masculine given names
- German masculine given names
- Dutch masculine given names
- Norwegian masculine given names
- Swedish masculine given names
- Danish masculine given names
- German-language surnames