The surname "Walters" is of English and Welsh origin. It is derived from the given name "Walter," which itself comes from the Old Germanic elements "wald" meaning "rule" or "ruler," and "heri" meaning "army" or "warrior." Thus, the name "Walter" can be understood to mean "ruler of the army" or "warrior ruler." Over time, the surname "Walters" emerged as a patronymic surname, indicating that it was originally used to identify the descendants or followers of someone named Walter. In this context, the suffix "-s" signifies "son of" in English. Therefore, "Walters" would mean "son of Walter" or "descendant of Walter." As the surname "Walters" spread, variations in spelling and pronunciation arose. In Wales, the name is often spelled as "Walters," while in England, it can also be found as "Walter" or "Walt(e)rs. Today in the United States there are approximatley 90,000 bearers of the surname Walters.