| ![Show Contents]() Valter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ValterWhat does the name Valter mean? The distinguished surname Valter originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most traditional type of family name found in the region of the Papal States is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Valter came from the first name Gualtero, which is a name of Germanic origin, derived from Waldhari which means Strong army. Early Origins of the Valter familyThe surname Valter was first found in the unique region of Umbria, and records can be found in 1080, with Gualtiero Gualtieri, a Count in the ancient town of Spello. Early History of the Valter familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Valter research. More information is included under the topic Early Valter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Valter Spelling VariationsIn comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Valter include Gualtieri, Gualtiero, Gualdieri, Gualdiero, Gualdo, Gualtieriotti, Galtieri, Valtieri, Valter, Gualtierotti, Tieri, Tiero and many more. Early Notables of the Valter family17 priests from the Gualterotti family of Florence; Vanne Gualtieri of Orvieto was a prominent member of the Government for over 30 years, serving as ambassador to many princes, and as leader of a few cities. Sante Gualtieri was mayor of Viterbo; Gualtiero Gualtieri was Captain of 300 soldiers under Francesco II and managed the castle in Perugia under Pope Paolo IV. Sebastiano Gualtieri was Bishop of Viterbo, appointed by...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Valter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Valter migration to the United States | + |
Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Valter or a variant listed above:
Valter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Valter, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1853 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Valter (post 1700) | + |
- Valter Thomé (1874-1918), Finnish architect
- Valter Heil (b. 1990), Romanian footballer
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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