Surname Wehinger - Meaning and Origin
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Wehinger: What does the surname Wehinger mean?
The German surname Wehinger has Latin origins and is derived from the Latin word vaceus, which can be translated to mean "empty" or "void". The surname Wehinger is believed to have first appeared in Germany during the 12th and 13th centuries. It was likely an occupational name given to open field farmers.
Wehinger is considered to be a rare surname, as records show there are fewer than 1,000 bearers of the name worldwide. It is most commonly found in Austria, and is also found in parts of Germany, Switzerland, and other European countries.
Wehinger, like many German surnames, denotes a sense of pride in an individual's heritage or ancestral roots. It could be used to reference the proud tradition of open field farming that is part of German heritage and that was passed down through generations. It could also be used to refer to a connection between a family's roots in Germany and its current place of residence.
The last name Wehinger emphasizes a sense of belonging to a larger German community, and could be seen as a reminder of pride in one's culture and family history. People with the last name Wehinger should be proud of their roots and embrace the strong connection to the German community that it implies.
Order DNA origin analysisWehinger: Where does the name Wehinger come from?
The last name Wehinger is most commonly found in Germany and Austria today. It is particularly common in regions such as Franconia, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Wehinger is an uncommon surname, however, appearing as one of the least frequent family names in Germany in 2020.
The Wehinger surname is thought to be a habitational name linked to the town of Wöhingen, which is a municipality in Germany that is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. This region was historically known as Swabia, a region of Germany whose dialect is now considered a distinct entity of language from the rest of the country. It is thought that someone from this area who adopted the name Wehinger was likely referring to their place of origin.
Furthermore, Wehinger is also found among European Roman Catholics who are descendants of Czech and Slovak immigrants. This surname was most likely adopted by individuals who were devoutly religious and wanted to honour their faith by selecting a surname that was derived from the Latin word for prayer, oratione.
The commonness of the Wehinger surname today could also be related to a Jewish last name of the same spelling. As Jews were expelled from Austria in the 15th century, many migrated to different parts of Europe. It is likely that some of these Jews adopted the Wehinger surname in the different areas they settled in.
Overall, Wehinger is not a particularly common surname, however, it can most commonly be found today in Germany, Austria, and Czech and Slovak communities across Europe.
Variations of the surname Wehinger
Wehinger is a variant of the surname Waehinger, which is a surname of German origin. Wehinger, Wahinger and Waeginger are the three variant spellings of this surname. This surname is derived from “waeh” which means guard or watchman in old German. Therefore, the original meaning of this surname is “guardian” or “watchman”.
Surnames of the same origin include Wahingen, Waehenge, Waehenger, Waehnger, and Waehinger. While some of these spellings may not appear as often as Wehinger, the meaning behind the surname remains the same.
Other surnames that have similar etymologies include Waehingrad, Waeginger, Waegner and Waegel. All of these surnames are derived from the German root word “Waeh”, meaning guard or watchman.
In addition, surnames of the same origin may also include Waechter, Wachter, Weninger, Weniger, Wening and Weninger. Weninger is derived from the Germanic word “Wand”, meaning to roam or wander. Therefore, the surname of Weninger means someone who wanders or roams as a guard or watchman.
Overall, the surname Wehinger has multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These variants all have the same meaning of watchman or guardian, despite having slightly different spellings.
Famous people with the name Wehinger
- Melanie Wehinger: An Austrian figure skater who competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics and won the gold medal in the team pursuit event.
- Caroline Wehinger: A New Zealand-born actress and singer who has performed in various productions, including Beauty and the Beast, August: Osage County, and the Off-Broadway revival of 1970’s classic musical, Grease.
- Matthew Wehinger: An American professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the New York Rangers.
- Jan Wehinger: A German politician who served as the Mayor of Trier from 2009 to 2018.
- Karl Wehinger: A retired Austrian professional football player who made 250 appearances for SV Wacker Burghausen.
- Franz Wehinger: An Austrian artist who was known for his Botanical collection of watercolour illustrations of Alpine and Austrian flora.
- Manuel Wehinger: A Swiss professional ice hockey player who currently plays for HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the National League (NL).
- Arnold Wehinger: An Austrian composer and arranger best known for his many arrangements of Viennese waltzes as well as themes from the works of Johann Strauss II.
- Elias Wehinger: A Swiss painter and printmaker best known for his landscapes and scenes of Alpine scenery.