Surname Wassilie - Meaning and Origin
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Wassilie: What does the surname Wassilie mean?
The last name Wassilie is of Germanic origin and is derived from the German personal name 'Wazil'. The original meaning of 'Wazil' was 'warrior' or 'strong protector', though in some regions it also came to mean 'possessing royal rank'. The surname likely developed when people in Germany adopted it as the name of their families.
The Wassilie name is associated with an old German family who lived in Rastatt, Germany during the 12th century. In later centuries, the family spread to other parts of Germany, including Bavaria and Westphalia, as well as other European countries, including Russia, Poland, and Belarus. In some of these regions, the Wassilie name may have been adapted into different languages, such as Васильев in Russian, or Wazil in a number of dialects.
The family has also been associated with some prominent figures in European history. For example, Moritz von Wassilie was an influential politician in the 19th century who served as one of Russia's ministers of finance. His brother, Joachim von Wassilie, was an active member of the revolution to unify Germany in 1848, and served as an envoy to the king of Prussia.
Overall, the Wassilie surname likely derived from a Germanic term meaning 'warrior' or 'strong protector', and was used by a prominent German family over several centuries. The Wassilie family was connected to a number of notable figures in Europe's history, continuing to carry its legacy even today.
Order DNA origin analysisWassilie: Where does the name Wassilie come from?
The surname Wassilie is believed to originate from the Ukraine, and it is most commonly found in the United States, particularly among recent immigrants from the Ukraine. It is also quite common in parts of Canada, particularly where there are large Ukrainian populations. In addition, Wassilie is also found in Germany, where it was likely taken by immigrants from Ukraine fleeing religious or political persecution in the early 20th century.
Within the United States, the most frequent locations of the Wassilie surname are prominent cities with large Ukrainian populations, such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. It is also common in other cities where Ukrainian immigrants settled in the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis.
The Wassilie surname is popular among Jewish families stemming from areas of Ukraine, such as Zhytomyr, a prominent city with a large Jewish population, where surnames such as Wassilie were likely adopted during the 19th century.
Today, the Wassilie surname continues to be carried by both Ukrainian and Jewish immigrants residing in the United States and Canada, as well as in Germany and other countries of the European Union.
Variations of the surname Wassilie
Wassilie is a surname of Russian origin, and it may also be spelled Wassili, Wasyli, and Vasil.
The Wassilie surname variants can be traced back to the Russian given name Vasily, which originated as a diminutive form of the given name Vasiliy, a form of Basil.
Vasily, and its variates and spellings, became surnames among the Russian-speaking world. It is common to encounter spellings of Vasily including: Vasilii, Vasylii, Wasylii, Vasyl, Wasyl, Vasille, Wasille, Vassile, Wassile, Wassilie, and even Vasilie.
Depending on the country and the time period in which one searches for spelling variations of the Wassilie name, the results will vary. Besides the Russian variation of the name, the Hungarian spelling of Wasyl may appear and the Americanized version of Wasil wooden to used during the twentieth century.
In addition, other surnames of similar nature may be found because of the distortion and translation of the Wassilie name: Vanolio, Vassilion, Vassilar, Vasselin, Vasselina, Vassilio, and Vassillion are just a few of the surnames of similar root and spelling.
Famous people with the name Wassilie
- Felix Wassilie: an Inupiaq Alaskan artist known for capturing the Inupiaq culture through his artwork.
- Lydia Wassilie: an Inupiaq Alaskan author, anthropologist, and professor that serves as the chair of Native and Rural Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
- Peter Wassilie: an Inupiaq Alaskan filmmaker known for films such as “Eskimo Time” and “Anya: The True Story of an Alaskan Expansion.”
- Sarlinga Wassilie- a member of the Eklutna Tribe and former chairwoman of the Alaska Native Sisterhood.
- Elsie Wassilie Alien- a fashion designer of Inupiaq heritage who made waves on the runway in 2020 with her unique, Indigenous-inspired designs.
- Nicholas Wassilie- an Inupiaq Alaskan actor and entrepreneur known for his work in television, cinema, and theater.
- Emma Wassilie- an Inupiaq Alaskan singer-songwriter and musician that has released several albums and performed for audiences in Alaska.
- Heiden Wassilie- an Inupiaq Alaskan entrepreneur and tech mogul that created a mobile app for native entrepreneurs to help foster their businesses.
- Walter Wassilie- an Inupiaq Alaskan artist, businessman, and humanitarian known for his work in preserving and promoting the Inupiaq culture and tradition.
- Tanana Wassilie- an Inupiaq Alaskan author, educator, and filmmaker known for her work in preserving and sharing the Inupiaq culture and language.