Surname Balch - Meaning and Origin
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Balch: What does the surname Balch mean?
The last name Balch is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of Baldwin." It is derived from the ancient Germanic name Baldwine, the combination of the words ''bald'' meaning "bold" and "wine" meaning "friend."
The original bearer of the Balch surname was Baldwin, who was of Anglo-Saxon origin. He lived during the 11th Century and was a wealthy landowner. His wealth gave him and his family a considerable amount of influence and power among the English people.
The Balch family was prominent in the English Midlands counties for many centuries, and can be traced back to the 12th Century. They were often employed as professionals, particularly as lawyers and as physicians.
Today, people bearing the Balch surname are primarily concentrated in the United States, where it ranks as the 801st most common surname. It is particularly common in the state of Pennsylvania, where it was first established in the 1700s.
People with the Balch surname tend to be very proud of their family history and heritage. For instance, the Arms of Balch, a shield divided quarterly, has been privately used for hundreds of years. It is seen as a powerful symbol of the Balch family's long history and legacy.
Order DNA origin analysisBalch: Where does the name Balch come from?
The last name Balch is most common today in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there were 7,503 people with this surname living in the United States in 2019, ranking it at number 7713 nationwide.
Balch is believed to be an English topographic name for someone who lived near a corner, or at a corner of woods. It can also be an anglicized form of the Gaelic “bailc” which means “spear”.
The largest concentration of Balch family members is in the Midwest and the Mountain states, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler. The largest numbers in the United States can be found in Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Iowa, and Missouri. There are also significant populations in California, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
This surname can also be found in countries outside the United States, most notably Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and England. Looking at the United Kingdom ancestral origins, it is most closely linked with counties in the UK such as Wiltshire, Lancashire, Oxfordshire, and Kent.
Despite its English origins, the Balch name has a global reach today. It is estimated that there are people with this surname living in more than 25 countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Balch
The surname Balch is a locational name of Anglo-Saxon origin, which derives from the Old English place-name "Bealdec". The Balch spelling of the surname is certainly the most common, but there are at least three other variants: Bald, Balde, and Bauld. These spelling variants may have been due to pronunciation differences, transcription errors, or simply personal preference.
In addition to the variations of the main Balch spelling, there are also a number of related surnames which may or may not be spelling variants of the same name. These related surnames include Balf, Balfe, Balife, Baul, Bawle, Baull, Bawl, Bawell, and Beahld.
The surnames Bald, Balde, and Bauld are often viewed as variants of Balch, although some scholars suggest the Bald surname has its own distinct origins. This theory is based on the presence of Bald families who are not directly descended from Balch families, as well as the presence of Bald place names in areas which are not associated with Balch settlements.
The Balf, Balfe, Balife, Baul, Bawle, Baull, Bawl, Bawell, and Beahld surnames may also be variants of Balch, although there is some disagreement among scholars as to their true origins. Some suggest that these surnames are most likely all related to Balch, either as variants in spelling or through cultural or familial ties, while others hypothesize that some of these surnames may have arisen independently of the Balch surname.
Ultimately, the main variant of the Balch surname is Balch, and its spelling variants Bald, Balde, and Bauld. There are also a number of related surnames which may or may not be variants of Balch, depending on which theory of origin one subscribes to.
Famous people with the name Balch
- Enoch Curtis Balch (American politician, 1852–1919)
- Ted Balch (American football quarterback, 1925–2014)
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton Balch (American suffragist, 1846–1931)
- Everett T. Balch (American artist)
- Stedman Balch (American composer, 1871–1935)
- Benjamin C. Balch (American hotel proprietor and businessman, 1817–1910)
- Will Allen Balch (American missionary, 1858–1928)
- T. Sterling Balch (American businessman, 1892–1986)
- Frank H. Balch (American engineer, chemist, and educator, 1863–1919)
- Phoebe Allen Balch (American writer, 1860–1937)
- Robert McLachlan Balch (American physicist, 1935–2009)
- Lydia M. Balch (American wife of Enoch Curtis Balch, 1853–1942)
- Elizabeth S. Balch (American teacher and writer, 1819–1880)
- William Balch (American lawyer and politician, 1912–1989)
- Benjamin Chapman Balch (American astronomer, 1817–1907)
- Thomas Balch (American printer, soldier, and businessman, 1754–1825)
- George K. Balch (American doctor and author, 1796–1866)
- Jacob Balch (American businessman and politician, 1841–1923)
- William Balch (American report writer, 1817–1890)
- Merchant P. Balch (American sailor and mariner, 1826–1915)