Surname Weer - Meaning and Origin
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Weer: What does the surname Weer mean?
The last name Weer is of Dutch origin, often taken from the Dutch personal name ‘Wier’, which itself derived from the Latin name ‘Virius’. Weer commonly appears as an alternate spelling of ‘Wier’ or ‘Weir’, and is believed to mean ‘protection’ or ‘defender’.
The thirty-one-letter surname ‘Weer’, or its various spellings, is fairly common in Europe and occurs in areas such as Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Scotland. It is a patronymic name, meaning that it was originally taken from a person’s father’s name, and often became hereditary when passed on to subsequent generations.
In the Netherlands, the name ‘Weer’ was used to denote a person of some social standing, usually a farmer or a craftsman. They were considered knowledgeable, strong and respected in their communities, and this is likely where the name’s meaning ‘protector’ or ‘defender’ comes from.
The name Weer is also popular in Scotland, although the pronunciation is usually ‘Weer’ instead of ‘Wier’. The Weer clan was believed to be originally descended from the Celtic settlement of Glasgow, and had members who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Having spread around the world, the last name Weer is now present in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It remains a strong reminder of a family’s proud past and its powerful meaning of ‘protection’ and ‘defense’.
Order DNA origin analysisWeer: Where does the name Weer come from?
The last name Weer is relatively common today, primarily in Europe. In particular, Weer has been somewhat common in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands since the early Middle Ages.
In Germany, people with the last name Weer can trace their ancestry to the Bavarian family that held the lordship of Weer since 1287. In Belgium, the name was mainly found in West Flanders, where apparently, it first appeared in 1293.
However, the most prevalence of Weer is found in the Netherlands, where there were 14,814 individuals with the name living in the Netherlands in 2009. Dutch records indicate the first appearance of the name Weer in 1219 in the province of Gelderland.
Today, Weer is spread around Europe. However, the largest concentrations are still found in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Variations of the surname Weer
The surname Weer is a toponymic surname of German origin. It is derived from the German word “Weer,” meaning “Weir” or “Dam,” indicating an individual’s ancestry to an original family who resided near a dammed river.
Variants of the surname Weer include Wehr, Wehre, Wehrle, Wehrs, Wehrsen, Wehrmann, Wehrmeister, Waehr, Waer, Wair, Ware, Wear, Werner, Warn, Warne, W.erne, Verne, Vearne, Weinreich, and Veiron.
Weer is also an archaic Dutch surname, meaning “Weather” or “Time,” likely indicating a person who watch the time and weather such as a goat herder or overseer. Variants of this surname include Veer, Veers, Vier, Viers, Vierse, Viersen, Viersman, Wehr, Weersen, Weersenen, and Weerssen.
The English spelling of Weer is Weir, a topographic name for someone who lived near “A Weir,” a series of stones placed across a narrow stretch of a river to raise the water level in slow-moving areas. Alternatives of Weir include Weire, Weirr, Weaire, Wyer, Wyerr, Wyaire, Wayre, and Wyre.
No matter the spelling, the Weer surname indicates a common ancestry across all derivations—a person from German ancestry who was likely tied to a river, waterway, dam or weir.
Famous people with the name Weer
- Jessica Weer: American professional snowboarder.
- Niels Weer: Former professional basketball player.
- Jeroen Weer: Dutch Actor who is best known for his role in the tv series 'Penoza'.
- Wytse Weer: Dutch actor.
- RJ Weer: American indie musician and composer.
- Fabian Weer: Dutch field hockey player.
- Robin Weer: Dutch comedian, writer, and actor.
- Cor Weer: Former Dutch professional football player.
- Werner Weer: Austrian ski jumper.
- Ward Weer: Dutch rower.