Balch
An old English surname that may have begun as a nickname for someone thought proud or haughty, though some sources treat it as uncertain.
The #7,450 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 69,040 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Balch is usually linked by older surname writers to a descriptive nickname meaning “proud” or “haughty.” One 19th-century source explicitly glosses it in that sense, and the name was later compared with other English nickname surnames formed from personal qualities. The historical evidence is not strong enough to make the etymology certain, so it is best treated as a probable but not fully secure nickname origin.
History
Balch is recorded in England in medieval sources, and later bearers appear in London, Somerset, and other counties. The name also travelled to North America early enough to be noted among long-established Boston surnames. Later genealogical references show it as an established English family name rather than a rare one-off spelling.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century surname dictionary connected Balch with the idea of being “arrogant” or “haughty,” which is a good example of how some old English surnames began as blunt nicknames.
From the historical record
“montory. BALCH (IX).), Arrogant, Haughty, Proud. 6 BALDE ((3.), Bold. Baldwin ((£.), Bold in battle, {v. Forti- guerra.) BAMPFYLDE (€•), Wood-field. Beam, a tree. BANCROFT ((g.)' ^^ofl or Field by river or sand bank.”
— SurnamesNotable people named Balch
- Emily Greene Balch (1867–1961)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.