Surname Wäninger - Meaning and Origin
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Wäninger: What does the surname Wäninger mean?
The last name Wäninger is of German origin and is an occupational surname. The name likely came from those who worked as winemakers or vintners. It is derived from the German word “wähnen” which means “to press grapes”. It would have been used as a name to differentiate between those who made the wine and those who sold it.
Due to its origin, Wäninger is most commonly found in German-speaking countries, such as Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Over time, the spelling of the name may have changed from Wähniger and Wäninger to its more common Whanninger and Waninger variations.
Wäninger is a relatively uncommon name. As of the 1990 Census, only 0.001% of the population in the United States had the surname, making it a rare and unique name. Because of this, it is likely that those who bear this name may be largely connected or have a common ancestor.
Overall, the last name Wäninger is an interesting and uncommon surname with an interesting and unique origin. Its history can be linked with German-speaking countries and may have been used for identifying those who made wine and those who sold it. Although it is a fairly rare last name, the history of Wäninger is still interesting and worth exploring.
Order DNA origin analysisWäninger: Where does the name Wäninger come from?
The last name Wäninger is most commonly seen today in Germany, especially in the southern regions. It is also found in various other European countries and other parts of the world. In Germany, Wäninger families are concentrated all throughout the country, but there are large clusters in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Sachsen-Anhalt, as well as in some smaller towns and villages in other states. Outside of Germany, small populations of Wäningers are found in Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Romania, and Hungary.
Most families with this last name trace their ancestry to 1750 and the small town of Waiblingen, now located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Records from that era indicate that the father of the Waiblingen Wäningers was Johann Jakob Wäninger, a wheelwright from a nearby village called Seeg. The Wäningers have since spread across the world, with small numbers of them settling in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
This surname is believed to have originally been derived from Wänninger, a variation of the name Wänne, which is another form of the German name for “wheelwright.” It is also possible that the name originated from another language, such as the old Germanic "wunnen" meaning to hope, or the Old Norse "Waningr" meaning Viking.
So, the last name Wäninger is most commonly seen in Germany, as well as in various other European countries and other parts of the world. Its original roots, however, lie in Waiblingen in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany.
Variations of the surname Wäninger
Wäninger is a surname of German origin. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Waninger, Waning, Waening, Waeninger, Waegeninger, Waegener, Waenging, Waening, Waeninger, Wäginger, Waehner, Waehning, Waehninger, Wahninger, Waehringer, Waehrig, Wahringer, and Waehrunger.
Waninger is the most common variant of the surname, since it most closely resembles the original spelling. This spelling is a combination of German Wän- and -ing, which refers to an area of land or terrain. The other variants of the surname differ slightly in spelling, while still conveying the same meaning. For instance, Waening refers to a wooded or forested area or terrain, while Waegeninger could refer to a field or meadow.
The suffix -er in all the variants of this surname is an indication of patronymic origin, which means that the name originally referenced the father of a specific person. Additionally, Waehninger can be considered a variation of Waehringer, which has a similar origin. The surname Waehringer is compound of the Old Germanic Waehr- and -inger, which refers to a person from an area of warding or protection.
Finally, some variants of Wäninger, such as Waeniger, are derived from the Middle High German weneger, which means ‘a few’ or ‘fewer’. This could refer to a person from an area with a smaller population, or one who was regarded as particularly important or special in a certain community.
Famous people with the name Wäninger
- Fritz Wäninger: Austrian ski jumper who competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
- Richard Wäninger: Austrian alpine skier who competed in two Olympics, winning gold medals at Innsbruck in 1964.
- Barbara Wäninger: Austrian alpine skier who competed in three consecutive Winter Olympics starting in 1988.
- Leopold Wäninger: Austrian cyclist who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.
- Jürgen Wäninger: German footballer who played for several clubs, including Borussia Dortmund.
- Erich Wäninger: Austrian ski jumper who competed in three Winter Olympics starting in 1988.
- Anna Wäninger: Austrian alpine skier who competed at the 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics.
- Robert Wäninger: German cyclist who represented Germany in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
- Robert Wäninger Jr.: Austrian ski jumper who competed in two Winter Olympics, starting in 1988.
- Manuel Wäninger: Austrian ice hockey goaltender who played in the top-level Austrian League.