Surname Wayss - Meaning and Origin

Wayss: What does the surname Wayss mean?

The last name Wayss originates from the German language, and is mostly associated with Germany and some Alsace regions of France and Switzerland. It is thought to derive from the German word ‘Wass’, meaning ‘water’ or ‘stream’, which suggests the bearer of this surname may have been connected with water or river management in some capacity. Depending on the dialect, the spelling of the surname can also be spelled ‘Weyss’ or ‘Weish’.

Early records of the surname date back to as early as the 13th Century, and by the 18th Century, the name had spread to the other parts of Europe. During the 19th Century, many emigrated to the United States, bringing the surname to the country.

Today, Wayss is a relatively uncommon name, and is mostly found throughout Northern Europe, the United States, and some Latin American countries. It is most frequently found in Germany and the United States.

In modern times, those with the surname Wayss tend to be that of independent individuals, with an eclectic outlook on life. They stand up for their beliefs and strive to become successful.

Wayss: Where does the name Wayss come from?

The last name Wayss is most commonly found in Germany. Wayss is a variant of the common German surname Weis, meaning "white". The Wayss spelling is most often found in the states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Westphalia, and is particularly frequent in cities such as Saarbrücken and Trier.

The first known record of the last name Wayss originates from the 10th century. A certain Wiczo, or Ecze, was mentioned in a land transaction in the town of Thuringia in 990 A.D. It is not known if Wiczo was the original name bearer of Wayss, however, as surnames were not commonly used in this era. It is likely that Wayss was adopted sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries when surnames transitioned from being rare to much more commonplace in German society.

Today, Wayss is most often found in Germany, but it is also common among German emigrants living in the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Wayss is a relatively uncommon name in comparison to some other last names in Germany, but its presence is particularly strong in the regions mentioned earlier.

Variations of the surname Wayss

The surname Wayss is of Germanic origin, derived from the personal name "Wazo", which can be found in records of the early Middle Ages. This surname is found in various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, the most common being Waz, Ways, Wazs, Wage, Wag and Weis.

The variants Waz and Weis are the earliest recorded forms of the surname, and can be encountered in records from as early as the 14th century. Ways is a more modern form of the surname, and can be found in records of the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Wazs is a variant of the name found most often in the northern regions of Germany, while Wage and Wag are mainly found in records from the southern German states.

There are also a few other rare variants of the surname, such as Wes, Weise, Weid, Weitz and Wein. All of these spellings are derived from the same Germanic root, but some of them are more localized than others.

In addition to the various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, the Wayss surname has also been adopted by families from other countries and languages. For example, the Dutch and Belgian families of Wijs and the Danish family of Weis, are both derived from the same ancestral surname.

Finally, it should also be noted that the Wayss surname is sometimes written with a double s at the end, most often seen in English-speaking countries.

Famous people with the name Wayss

• Clemens Wayss (18th century German composer)
• Philip Wayss (18th centuryGerman organist)
• Wilhelm von Wayss (19th century German general)
• Heinrich von Wayss (19th century Bavarian general)
• Erhard Wayss (20th century German photographer)
• Tony Wayss (21st century German actor)
• Christine Wayss (21st century German Olympic gymnast)
• Christian Wayss (21st century German graphic designer)
• Sebastian Wayss (21st century German singer/songwriter)

Other surnames

Ways