<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Other names </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Variant (s) </Th> <Td> Welker, Walcher, Welcker, Wallker, Walkyr, Walkere, Wealcan, Walcere </Td> </Tr> <P> Walker is a German surname derived from either a fuller, from the Middle High German walker, meaning "a fuller of cloth", or an officer whose duty consisted of walking or inspecting a certain part of a forest . The surname "Walker" was first found in Germany where records of the name date back to the thirteenth century . In 1253, Sigelo dictus Welkere was recorded in Weissenburg, and in 1209, Bruno Welkiner was a citizen of Cologne . The name is also found within African Kenyan tribes . </P> <P> With close to 100,000 bearers, Walker is the 18th most common surname in England . As of the 2000 U.S. Census, 501,307 people had the surname Walker, making it the 28th most common surname in America . It is the 14th most common surname in Australia, with 26,688 people as of 2007 . </P>

Where does the last name walker originate from