Surname Thewis - Meaning and Origin
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Thewis: What does the surname Thewis mean?
Thewis is a patronymic surname of Germanic origin. It is derived from the popular medieval Germanic personal name Theodoric, meaning “ruler of the people”. The name was common among Germanic and Norse-Viking settlers in England and Scotland and was adopted by families of English and Scots descent.
Thewis is found most often in the United Kingdom, where variant spellings emerged as individuals migrated from place to place. Variations of Thewis include Tevis, Thavis, Thivis, Thevis, and Theweis. It is also found among immigrants who settled throughout the British Isles in countries such as Canada, the United States, and Australia.
The earliest recorded spelling of the surname Thewis is found in the Lancashire Parish Records for 1564. The surname was most likely used to distinguish one family from another that may have lived in the same area or could have been related by blood.
Thewis families have a history of being powerful, influential figures within the community. Their hard work and determination are reflected by their success in business and in the professional arena.
In recent times, the Thewis surname is associated with strong family values and a commitment to their community. It is an ideal that lives on today with many of the families still displaying the same qualities that led them to success in the past.
Order DNA origin analysisThewis: Where does the name Thewis come from?
The name Thewis is most likely of French origin and is found mainly in Belgium and the Netherlands today. It can also be found in some parts of Scandinavia and other European countries. In the United States and Canada, the name Thewis is not as widespread, but concentrated mainly in some regions of the Great Lakes and Midwestern states.
Though the spelling of the Thewis name shares several similarities with Lewis, the two are distinct surnames. Thewis is an uncommon one that was originally bestowed to identify the bearers of a certain character trait – most likely courage, as the root of the surname is the Old French word theu which means brave.
Thewis families have traditionally been active in areas such as business, industry, and the arts. Simon Thewis was a painter from the eighteenth century whose works hang in important galleries all around the world. His brother, Charles-Nicolas Thewis, gave a whole new meaning to the surname by becoming the first in the family to serve as Mayor of the town of Brussels in the nineteenth century.
Today, Thewis is still considered an uncommon surname that retains a certain air of distinction. In some towns and villages around Europe, it is still in use and occasionally seen in the United States as well.
Variations of the surname Thewis
Thewis is an English surname, which is derived from the Old French word ‘Teul’, meaning ‘house’. This surname has numerous variants and spellings, some of which are listed below.
Thewes – This variant is derived from the French ‘Teules’, which also means ‘house’.
Thewiss – This variant is derived from the Germanic ‘Teut’, meaning ‘tribe’.
Dewees – This variant is derived from the French ‘Deues’, which has the same meaning as Thewes.
Dewiss – This variant is derived from the Germanic ‘Diut’, which also has the same meaning as Thewiss.
Thewize – This alternate spelling of Thewis is derived from the French ‘Teulize’, also meaning ‘house’.
Deuz – This is another variant of Thewes, derived from the French ‘Deuz’.
Dewez – This variant is derived from the French ‘Deuz’, and has the same meaning as Deuz.
Thew – This is an alternate spelling and variant of Thewis.
Tew – This is another alternate spelling and variant of Thewis.
Thewe – This is the surname’s commonest spelling in Britain.
Thewisser – This is the German form of Thewis.
Thewessen – This is another German form of Thewis.
Some of the surnames of the same origin as Thewis in other countries are: Teulon (France), Deutscher (Germany), Teulino (Italy), Teules (Spain), Dąbrowski (Poland) and Tevosyan (Armenia). Thus, the origin of Thewis is multi-national, but it is most closely associated with the English language.
Famous people with the name Thewis
- Joe Thewis, a former Major League pitcher
- John Thewis, a professional soccer player representing the Netherlands
- Jonathan Thewis, a famous Dutch field hockey player
- Jacob Thewis, a professional tennis player
- Melissa Thewis, a British actress best known for her roles in the films Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Austin Powers in Goldmember
- William Thewis, an American film director, actor, and producer
- Geoffrey Thewis, an English professional football manager
- Elizabeth Thewis, a German-born actress known for playing Janet in the 2006 film Nanny McPhee
- Marshall Thewis, an American artist and sculptor
- Andrew Thewis, a British author of books such as “The Price of Obedience” and “The Judas Syndrome”