Old Norse origin
Source-reportedMeaning: “power”
English surname, from the obsolete English given name Waltheof, from Old English weald (“power”) + þēof (“thief”), as in "one who snatched victory from battle." Comparable to, or ultimately Anglicized from, the Old Norse equivalent Valthiófr, from vald + *ᚦᛖᚢᛒᚨᛉ (*þeubaʀ). Compare Walthall, Waldie.
Sources for this account (3)
- Wiktionary: WaldoCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Greek Wiktionary: WaldoCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Spanish Wiktionary: WaldoCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14
