Surname Wattrus - Meaning and Origin

Wattrus: What does the surname Wattrus mean?

The last name Wattrus is of German origin and is believed to have originated from a combination of two old German words: "walt" meaning "hold" and "hross" meaning "horse". It is a patronymic surname, with its bearers believed to be descendants of a person known as Walther or Waltross, whose name was quite possibly derived from the aforementioned Germanic words.

The first recorded Wattrus immigrants to the United States settled in Wisconsin in the late 19th century and today there are a number of Wattrus family lines living throughout the country. According to an 1841 German dictionary, the surname Wattrus is used to indicate a person who is an equerry, a man in charge of taking care of horses.

The Wattrus surname is found in numerous records throughout history, rooted in the Middle Ages in what was once part of the Holy Roman Empire. Over time, the meaning of the surname has remained true, an indication of someone's duties to look after horses. Given its Germanic origins, it's unsurprising that the surname has since spread and found its way all across the world.

Wattrus: Where does the name Wattrus come from?

The last name Wattrus is most commonly found in the Netherlands today. It has its roots in the Old Frisian language, originating from the West Frisian region of the Netherlands. This region is located in the Northernmost part of the country, bordering the provinces of Friesland, Groningen, and Drenthe. The name Wattrus is composed of two distinct elements: the first being "wa" which is derived from the Old Frisian adverb for "water", while the second element "trus" is believed to be derived from the Old Germanic word "trohison", which means "trust".

The Wattrus family first established itself as a distinguished House during the fifteenth century. Through their travels, they spread their name and influence across the entire Dutch region. In the present day, the Wattrus name is scattered across the Netherlands, often found among the cities of Bergen op Zoom, Hulst, Roosendaal, Woensel, Tilburg, and Amsterdam. The family name is also found in many other countries, including Belgium, Germany, United States, Australia, and Canada, where descendants of Dutch settlers and émigrés retain their ancestral name.

The Wattrus surname is most often associated with salt workers and traders, due to the historical links between the West Frisian area and saltwater. As such, Wattrus is still believed to be a traditional seafaring family name, associated with the hard-working individuals who enabled the Dutch salt industry to thrive during the Middle Ages.

Variations of the surname Wattrus

The surname Wattrus can be considered a variant of the Dutch or German surname Watten, Wauthier or Wauthuis. The surname Wattrus has many variations in spelling due to its Dutch/German roots. These variations include: Watrus, Wauter, Wothers, Woters, Woutters, Wauters, Wouters, Watter, and Wauttner.

The surname Wattrus is thought to be of Dutch or German origin. It was derived from the Low German phrase “waden waer” which means “protection” or “security”. This likely originated from a time when the surname was used to denote someone who was a protector or safety guard.

In the United States, many people with the surname Wattrus immigrated from the Netherlands and Germany in the 1800s and 1900s. It is not an uncommon sight to see the Wattrus name in the Midwest and South of the United States.

The Wattrus surname is also prominent in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, where it can often be found in the form of Watter or Wauter. The family may also be found using other forms, such as Wothers, Woters, Woutters, Wauters and Wouters.

In some countries, the Wattrus surname may even take on a spelling twist, with some instances of the surname being “Wattroom” or “Vattrus’. In other instances, people with the surname Wattrus may spell their name in even stranger ways, such as “Vaster” or “Vattam”.

No matter how the Wattrus surname is spelled, all versions trace back to the same Dutch/German origins – one of protection or security.

Famous people with the name Wattrus

• Josh Wattrus: Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing in the ECHL.
• Sarah Wattrus: Former Canadian field hockey player who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
• Stan Wattrus: American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for several teams in the 1950s.
• Kris Wattrus: Retried Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for three seasons.
• Willem Wattrus: Dutch professional road bicycle racer who competed in several regional and national events in the Netherlands.
• Jim Wattrus: Former Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched in two games for the Chicago White Sox in 1959.
• John Wattrus: British show jumper who started competing internationally in the 1970s.
• Josh Wattrus: Dutch professional tennis player who competed on the ATP Challenger Tour in the 2000s.
• Stephen Wattrus: Canadian soccer player who played in the Canadian Soccer League.
• Andre Wattrus: Dutch Paralympic swimmer who competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.

Other surnames

WattrodtWattroth