| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Word/name | Old English |
| Meaning | Foreigner, Stranger, Romano-Briton (Celt). |
| Region of origin | British Isles |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Walsh, Walshe, Welch; German cognates: Welsch, Walsch, Walch |
Welsh is a surname from the Old English language given to the Celtic Britons. The surname can also be the result of anglicization of the German cognate Welsch.[note 1] Welsh is a popular surname in Scotland.
Etymology
It appears that the etymology of the name Welsh is derived from the Old English adjective ƿilisċ or ƿielisċ, an adjective derived from the noun ƿielisċ, 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 Old English 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.
Notable people
- Barry Welsh, comedy character played by John Sparkes
- Chris Welsh, former baseball pitcher and current announcer for the Cincinnati Reds
- Christie Welsh, American soccer player
- David Welsh, Scottish religious leader
- Freddie Welsh, Welsh World Lightweight boxing champion
- George Welsh (disambiguation), several people
- Irvine Welsh, Scottish author
- John Welsh (English footballer), player for Hull City, England
- Kenneth Welsh (1942–2022), Canadian film and television actor
- 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
- Patrick Welsh (disambiguation), several people
- Peter Welsh (disambiguation), several people
- Paul Welsh, British television and radio correspondent
- Sean Welsh, Scottish footballer
- Thomas Welsh (basketball), American basketball player
- William Welsh (footballer), British footballer