Surname Fillinghart - Meaning and Origin
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Fillinghart: What does the surname Fillinghart mean?
The last name Fillinghart is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is derived from a Saxon personal name 'Fillan' which was formed from the tribal name or perhaps from 'fellan' meaning to skin or flay. This practice of skinning animals was the main livelihood of this ancient people.
The surname Fillinghart has associations with three different English counties: Derbyshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, all of which had people using the same surname in ancient times.
The Fillinghart family motto 'Nulli Secundus' translated from Latin to English, means 'Second to None.' It implies that the Fillingharts have stood out from the majority of society, upholding perhaps a strong moral code or traditions to set them apart. Today, they continue to stand for standing for virtue and integrity.
The Fillinghart surname is found in genealogical records as far back as the mid-seventeenth century in England. It is most associated with Derbyshire in the East Midlands region of England, where the family traditionally resided.
The Fillinghart name has undergone many changes and variations since its earliest days, such as Fillingam, Fillinham, Fillingom and Fillan. However, no matter its spelling, the low number of descendants from this family signifies its relative rarity.
Order DNA origin analysisFillinghart: Where does the name Fillinghart come from?
The last name Fillinghart is most commonly found in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of people with the name Fillinghart is less than 400. The majority of these people, around 80%, are located in the Midwest and Plains States, such as Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. It is also somewhat more common in certain parts of the South, particularly Arkansas and Tennessee.
Fillinghart is a rare name with few variations. Census records from the past have sometimes recorded the name as Fillinghast or Fillinghause. The name can be historically traced to German-speaking immigrants who settled in the Upper Midwest in the 1800s. The surname Fillinghart was derived from a place-name often given to families who had lived in the same location for a long time. The name likely comes from an area near the western border of Germany and Switzerland known as Schwabian Alps, in which the Fillingarts likely originated.
Despite its limited prevalence, the Fillinghart name still carries with it the legacy of those who had the courage to leave their families and forge a new path in the United States. Today, Fillingharts are spread across the country, although you may have to look far and wide to meet one.
Variations of the surname Fillinghart
The Fillinghart surname can have several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin; some of which include Filinghurst, Fallingheart, Failingheart, Fillinhaurt and Fillinhart. These names originated from Anglo-Saxon or exists in the ancient Anglo-Scandinavian culture. The root of this surname comes from a combination of two elements - ‘fill’, which is a derivative of the Old English word ‘fugel’, meaning ‘bird’ and ‘hart’, meaning ‘strong’ or ‘hardy’.
An alternative variation of the Fillinghart surname is Fillman (or Fillmore). This could also derive from a nickname of ‘Filly’ or ‘Filleman’, meaning ‘son of Filly’ or ‘son of the strong one’, taking lead from the Old English word ‘fyll’, meaning ‘power’ or ‘strength’. It could also be a derivative of the medieval personal name ‘Fillery’, which is thought to have derived from a combination of the Old English word, ‘fyrd’ (meaning ‘enclosure’) and ‘Fugel’, meaning ‘bird’.
Other surnames which Fillinghart can come from or can later become include Filling, Fillingshead, Fillingshear, Fillingham, Fillingame, Fiellenhausen, Filenhead and Hillenbrand. Examples of spelling variations or alternatives for all these surnames are virtually endless.
Despite all these different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the Fillinghart surname, it is most likely that all of them originated around the same time and meaning. The ‘fill’ or ‘fugel’ element is most likely to be the main stem of this surname, with the other elements being forms of variations upon this same theme.
Famous people with the name Fillinghart
- Rachel Fillinghart: American actress, known for playing the lead role as Annie in the 2021 short film, "The Aftermath".
- Jack Fillinghart: former college football standout, Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys.
- Matt Fillinghart: Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Milwaukee Admirals.
- Amber Fillinghart: Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter.
- Lea Fillinghart: English stage actress most renowned for her performances in the West End theatre productions of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music.
- Tommy Fillinghart: American visual artist, best known for creating the abstract painterly sculpture 'The Blue Phoenix'.
- Ann Fillinghart: American entrepreneur and venture capitalist, founder of the Fillinghart Capital Group.
- Kate Fillinghart: British novelist, poet and journalist, author of the acclaimed novel, "Falling from Grace".
- Tony Fillinghart: British musician and songwriter, writer of the cult classic "Wish I Could Fly".
- Peter Fillinghart: Australian soccer player, who was part of the Australian national men's team for twenty consecutive years.