(Etymology as science is a branch of historical linguistics. In etymology you research origin and history of words and hence the history of the meaning and form of the words will be investigated.)
By delving into the meaning and history of the surname Solich Herr Edgar Much wrote to me in July 2004:
Your progenitor named Salisch and moved from Vetzdorf to Katscher.
Salisch or Salich has become Solich / Sohlich. In dialect pronounced Soahlish ....
In the parish register of Katscher also show up Solich, which are not descendants of your progenitor. Three of them are from the surrounding area of Ratibor (18 km away from Katscher) and one from Austria....
At about 1600 your progenitor was mentioned in the parish register of Katscher O/S, the name Solich was common in various spellings in the German language area.
The word "solich" is much older as the surname "Solich".
It consists of two "water words". The Indo-European word "sol" - meaning mire or mud - complemented by the term "ik". Hence, the word means "muddy water". Both words are part of the names of many towns, villages and meadows.
In various languages and dialects appears "sol" as "sal / sul / suel" and so forth. Similarly "ik" altered. Thus, a "Soll-ach" would be a creek with muddy water.
Deiz Sollach, who married in 1617 in Winningen and Dietrich von Sollich, who appeared 1613 in Cologne, handle their names, because a progenitor of them lived at mired resp. "muddy" waters. Analogous it is not devious that the townsfolk of Solingen call their town "Solich". However, the meaning of Solingen is composed of "sol" and "eng(en)", viz. muddy, wet water.
Edgar Much
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This indication of the origin of the family name Solich is not important for our tribe, because (as mentioned above) our family root lies in the surname Salisch. The progenitor of this "Solich tribe", Laurentius (Lorentz) Solich (1626-1690) moved to Ehrenberg through his first marriage. The marriage record shows, that his father was named Nickel von Salisch. At this date he already was dead.
Salisch is an old German family name, which comes from the Salian dynasty, a Frankish sub-tribe of the Salian Franks. It was one of the noble families of the middle ages.
It is important to know, that the family names Solich / Sohlich / Sollich / Salich / Salisch and so forth not only have one but various progenitors.
The family name Solich is relatively common. Most frequent it is in northern Germany. Other areas where the name is widespread are Poland (especially Silesia), Austria, Hungary, USA and South America.
Maybe the most prominent Solich is the football coach Frank Solich in the USA.