Surname Terwort - Meaning and Origin
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Terwort: What does the surname Terwort mean?
The surname Terwort is of German origin and is thought to be derived from the name of an ancestor. It most likely has roots in an old German word meaning “of the twigs” and is an occupational name for someone who worked as a maker of wicker furniture or baskets.
The family likely came from areas in Germany like the Rhineland Palatinate, Lower Saxony, or Hesse where the folk crafts and trades of wicker weaving were once common.
The name Terwort is still prominent in Germany today. It can be found among members of the Protestant community in particular. Historically, the Terwort’s were Lutherans and could be found mainly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
In the United States, the Terwort name first appeared in the early to mid 1800s when immigrants began migrating to the country in search of a better life. In modern day, those of the Terwort surname can be found scattered throughout the US with more clusters appearing in states like Ohio and Michigan.
Overall, the last name Terwort is reflective of the rich German heritage with a unique origin derived from the craftsmanship and trades of old Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisTerwort: Where does the name Terwort come from?
The last name Terwort is most commonly found in the Netherlands. According to records from the Central Bureau voor Genealogie, the name represents mainly the provinces of North-Brabant, Limburg, Gelderland, and Overijssel. The surname is also known in the Dutch province of Friesland. It is thought that the name originated in Limburg some five centuries ago.
The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1527, when tenant farmer Jan Terwort was recorded in the Dutch city of Uden. Today, the Terwort name is still relatively rare, only found among 0.019% of the Dutch population. The name is currently most popular around the small town of Veghel, located about 53 km south of the city of Uden, as well as other parts of Limburg and North Brabant. Interestingly, records indicate that the Terwort name has died out in the East of the Netherlands, indicating a likely narrowing of the geographical distribution since the 16th century.
Despite its rarity in the Netherlands, the Terwort name exists in other parts of the world as well. Records suggest that there is a small number of people living in the United States and Canada that claim Terwort as their last name, largely, however, of Dutch descent.
Variations of the surname Terwort
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Terwort are: Turwart, Tarwart, Tarward, Turward, terreWorthe, Turwarthe, Turwort, Turword, Tarwort, Tarword, Turworthe, Tarworthe, Twerte, Tworte, Troward, Trourd, Terwart, Teerwort, Tearwort, Tewert, Towart, twerdy, Twortie and Twortey.
The origin of the surname Terwort can be traced back to the Middle Dutch term ‘ter werd’ which means ‘at the field’ or ‘at the forest’. It is a topographic surname which was given to someone who lived in a field or forest. Terwort was more popular in Germany than in the Netherlands though it is mainly found across the Netherlands and Germany.
Often times, surnames changed depending on the way it was spelled on records or documents over the years and hence the variations of the surname Terwort. The variations such as Tarwart and Turwart originated due to incorrect spelling of the name and the other surnames with the prefix ‘Ter’ were as a result of translation.
Often times, surnames were anglicized when immigrants moved to different countries and as a result, variations like Twerte, Tworte and Twortey appeared. Other variations such as Troward, Trourd and Towart, were anglicized versions of the name and were more popular in English-speaking countries.
It is also possible that the surname Terwort was adopted from another surname, for example, Turwarthe from Turwart or Tearwort from Terwort as a result of a change in spelling or pronunciation.Regardless, all of the variations, spellings and surnames are of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Terwort
- Jeff Terwort: former mayor of North Judson, Indiana.
- Matthew Terwort: former professional American football player.
- Alexander Terwort: professional soccer player for the German club, VfB Oldenburg.
- Chelsea Terwort: American Olympic athlete who competed in the shot put event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- George Terwort: American television director, producer, and executive producer.
- Ashley Terwort: American author, actress, television director, producer and executive producer.
- Jessica Terwort: American film director, producer, and actor.
- Barbara Terwort: German-American artist, writer, musician, and designer.
- Stephanie Ann Terwort: American author, writer, graphic artist, and visual artist.
- Laura Terwort: German American actress and entrepreneur.