Schilds

Schilds is a surname of Germanic origin. The name is typically considered to derive from the noun Schild, meaning shield, with the -s suffix often used in German and Dutch to form patronymic or possessive forms. In this view, Schilds may have originated as an occupational name for a shield bearer, a shield maker, or for someone associated with a shield in a heraldic context, as well as a possible toponymic reference to a place or feature named after a shield motif.

The surname is found in German-speaking regions and in neighboring areas such as the Netherlands and Belgium, and it spread to North America through immigration in the 18th through 20th centuries. Today it remains relatively uncommon, with most bearers concentrated in Germany and among communities with German or Dutch ancestry in North America.

Variants and related names include Schild and Schilder, which reflect related origins from the same root word and phonetic development in different languages and dialects. The form Schilds is less common than these variants but is attested in genealogical and civil records.

Genealogical and linguistic research on Schilds typically emphasizes its root meaning, regional spelling variants, and historical migration patterns, rather than a central, well-documented biography of the name.