Welsh Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Welsh Name Meaning: A surname of Irish origin meaning 'Welshman' or 'foreigner' taken from the Old English word 'waelisc'.

A name given to someone from Wales or someone who has relocated to somewhere new. Became especially popular in Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

Discover how your Welsh ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Welsh Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Welsh family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,065
Labourer 359
Agricultural Labourer 100
Domestic Servant 76
Coal Miner 67
Hawker 64
Servant 62
General Servant 51
Laundress 49
Dress Maker 48
House Keeper 37
Farm Labourer 31
Charwoman 29
Tailor 29
Shoe Maker 25
Labourer In Iron Works 24
Cotton Weaver 23
Dock Labourer 21
Blacksmith 20
Painter 19
Cook 17
Errand Boy 17
Annuitant 15
Gardener 15
Bricklayer Labourer 15

Welsh Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Walsh 80% 106,152
2 Welch 80% 69,279
3 Welsh 100% 51,280
4 Walshe 67% 954
5 Wilsh 80% 595
6 Weltch 67% 167
7 Wlash 60% 144
8 Whelch 67% 135
9 Wealsh 83% 127

Did you know?

The surname Welsh is the 3rd most popular variant of Walsh.

Search for the Welsh family