Surname von Wachter - Meaning and Origin
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von Wachter: What does the surname von Wachter mean?
The German-origin surname von Wachter is derived from the word "wache," which means "to watch" or "guard." This surname likely originated as a nickname for an individual who was employed as a watchman. The "von" prefix is associated with nobility, so the family may have been nobility at one point.
In the Middle Ages, it was common for a family to take the name of a geographical location or place they lived near, such as a large estate or castle. Thus, the surname von Wachter may have originated from a family living in a place where watchmen were employed to protect the area. It's also possible that the family had inherited the name of their home. The von Wachter family is associated with central and southeastern Germany and some families emigrated to other countries including the United States.
The von Wachters are a distinguished European noble family. Today, various members of the von Wachter family hold prominent roles in politics, business, and the arts. They have made lasting contributions to the betterment of society and have a significant presence still today. For instance, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the former German Minister of Defense, is a member of the von Wachter family.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Wachter: Where does the name von Wachter come from?
The surname von Wachter is most commonly found in Germany and Austria. The name derives from the occupational name “Wachtmeister”, which is a person in charge of maintaining order and security. The phrase “von Wachter” translates literally to “of watch” or “of guard”.
In Germany, the family name von Wachter is among the 100 most common surnames. It is especially common in the city of Berlin, where the name can be found in nearly every telephone directory. The areas surrounding Berlin, particularly central and eastern Germany, also have a high availability of people with the surname von Wachter.
In Austria, the von Wachter family name is also among the 100 most common surnames. Similarly to Germany, it is most prevalent in the capitals of Vienna and Graz.
Furthermore, other regions of Europe also have residents with the surname von Wachter. Records show that the von Wachter family name is found in Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, and as far east as Ukraine.
Though not common in the United States, there is still the presence of the von Wachter surname. American records indicate that the name is mainly located in Pennsylvania, New York, California, and Illinois.
Overall, the von Wachter family name is quite widespread throughout Europe and North America, making it one of the more common surnames in both continents.
Variations of the surname von Wachter
The surname von Wachter is of German origin and has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variations of von Wachter are Wachter, Voan Wachter and Wachtner.
The von in the name is a German prefix meaning 'of', indicating that the family originally hailed from a certain place or have a certain title. For example, von Wachter can indicate a person of the Wachter family who lived in or near a specific place.
Other variations on the name include Wachtner, Wachtr, Wachtere, Waechter, Waechtner, Vaechtner, Vaechter, Wecher, Wechert, Wecker, Weckert and Weckener. Some of these variations have also been applied to other surnames with similar spelling, such as Wachtel, Wackert, Wachtell, Wachtmeister and Waechtel.
In some cases, the surname von Wachter may also have been changed to Wacker or Wachs due to linguistic similarities and phonetic changes.
The meaning of the surname von Wachter is traditionally a 'guardian', 'guard' or 'watchman'. This could indicate that a person so named was responsible for watching over people or properties or was a member of the night watch or police. It could also refer to a soldier in a military establishment or fortification.
Finally, many families with the surname von Wachter can still be found in certain areas of Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
Famous people with the name von Wachter
- Otto von Wachter: Austrian lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Justice in 1919.
- Julieta von Wachter: Argentine singer and songwriter who has released several solo albums.
- Donovan von Wachter: American actor known for his roles in Helicopter Eela, S/O Satyamurthy, and Meri Pyaari Bindu.
- Oscar von Wachter: Austrian economist and statistician, who was the co-founder of the Viennese Institute of Social Research.
- Holger von Wachter: German actor who has appeared in movies and television series.
- Imre von Wachter: Hungarian fencer, who won 3 Olympic medals in Foil Team in the 1930 and 1932 Summer Olympics.
- Johann von Wachter: German poet and novelist, best known for his historical novels that took place in the Middle Ages.
- Helmut von Wachter: Austrian writer, journalist and poet, who was awarded the Austrian State Prize for Literature in 1985.
- Johann Heinrich von Wachter: German author and politician, who served as Imperial Minister of Finance in the 1920s.
- Karin von Wachter: German equestrian, who became an Olympic medalist in Equestrian Team Eventing at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.