Surname Thalmann - Meaning and Origin

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D. Thalmann

Thalmann: What does the surname Thalmann mean?

The last name Thalmann is derived from the Old German words "thal" meaning valley, and "mann" meaning man. Thus, the literal translation of the name is "man of the valley."

The name Thalmann is a fairly common German surname and is found throughout several countries. The name is believed to have originated in Germany, but can also be found in Austria and Switzerland.

This last name is likely to have been adopted by many people over the centuries due to its geographical derivation. The meaning of the name itself may have implied that the family members who carried it once lived in a valley or had some other connection to a valley.

Additionally, Thalmann may have been a sobriquet or nickname given to someone of short stature, as "thal" may have been interpreted to mean this in some dialects.

The Thalmann surname can be found as the family name of many people today. The popularity of the name varies depending on the country, but it is known to appear in the United States, Canada, and Australia. While rare, it is still used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Despite the longevity of the name, very little is known about its exact origins. While the meaning behind the name may have been more obvious to people in its early days, in modern times it remains a mystery.

Thalmann: Where does the name Thalmann come from?

The last name Thalmann is most commonly found in Switzerland, especially in the Canton of Bern. It is thought to have originated from the Bernese Oberland region, a mountainous area located in the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the pre-medieval German term “Thalmann”, which was a descriptive name for a person who lived in a valley.

Today, Thalmann is a quite common last name in Switzerland. The name is particularly prevalent in the Canton of Bern, where over 5,000 people with the name Thalmann inhabit the region. Additionally, significant numbers of people with the Thalmann surname can be found in other parts of Switzerland, from Geneva in the southwest, to St. Gallen in the northeast.

Outside of Switzerland, the name is still quite widespread. It is especially common in other German-speaking countries, such as Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein. In the United States, Thalmann is less common; however, the 2000 US Census showed that there were nearly 1000 people with the last name Thalmann living in the country. In other countries around the world, the name is also NOT uncommon — for example, there are over 100 Thalmann households in Canada alone.

Overall, the Thalmann surname is very common in and around Switzerland, but it can also be found in numerous other countries throughout the world.

Variations of the surname Thalmann

The surname Thalmann is of Dutch and German origin. This surname has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin including:

Tallman, Tallmann, Talman, Tolman, Tolmann, Talmann, Dellmann, Dellman, Delman, Dallmann, Dallman, Dalman, Dahlmann, Dahlman, Dahlen, Dälen, Dahle, Dähle, Thaulman, Thaulmann, Thielman, Thielmann, Thielemann, Thieleman, Thalimon, Thalimann, Thalheim, and Thalman.

The surname Thalmann is derived from the Middle High German personal name ‘thal’, meaning ‘valley’ or ‘dale’. This name was likely given to an ancestor living in a valley, specifically a German speaking region.

Some of the variants and spellings have also been developed by the English language being either Anglicized or Latinized. For example, Dellman and Dellmann were derived from the English name Delman and Delmann, and Thaliemann and Thalieleman were derived from the Latinized version of the German name Theilman and Theilmann.

Other spellings and surnames of the same origin as Thalmann can also have been influenced by other languages such as Czech, Dutch, Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish and Polish. The surname Thalmann when translated to Polish is spelled “Tolkan,” and when translated to Hungarian is spelled “Thalom.” Similarly, Norwegian and Swedish variations of the surname are ‘Talland,’ ‘Tollan,’ ‘Daland’ and ‘Tholleand’, respectively.

The popularity and use of this surname has remained relatively consistent over time, though spelling variants have likely influenced the prevalence of certain forms over others.

Famous people with the name Thalmann

• Erich Thalmann: famous German communist activist and politician.
• Daniel Thalmann: Swiss computer scientist who is widely considered to be the father of Virtual Reality.
• Suni Thalmann: fashion photographer and animal rights advocate from Germany.
• Klaus Thalmann: German theologian, anthropologist, social activist, and peace researcher.
• Fred Thalmann: Canadian agricultural innovator and industrialist.
• Richard Thalmann: Swiss teacher and politician who served as Switzerland’s Minister of Education.
• Alexander Thalmann: Austrian historian and philosopher.
• Lena Thalmann: German actress and singer.
• Jean-Marie Thalmann: Swiss business magnate who founded Thalmann Enterprises.
• Tony Thalmann: Swiss National League ice hockey player who plays for EV Zug.

Other surnames

ThalmaierThalmairThalmayer