Surname Weafre - Meaning and Origin
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Weafre: What does the surname Weafre mean?
The last name Weafre is an old English surname derived from the Anglo Saxon tribe of Wealas. The name originates from the old English words "wealas" or "walas", which was used to describe a person from Wales. The name was primarily used as a descriptive marker to identify someone from Wales.
The Welsh language is closely tied to the Anglo Saxon language, and this is likely where the Weafre surname came from. It likely originated from the Old English words "wealas" or "walas" meaning “foreigner” or “stranger”, and was likely adopted by a family who had migrated to the area from Wales.
The Weafre family was likely originally established in England during the Anglo Saxon period, and they may have been a part of the tribal groupings or communities that existed in the region before the Norman Conquest. Over time, the name has evolved, and it is now pronounced “weaver” rather than “wealas”.
The Weafre name is still quite common in England today, where many of the original families can be found in different parts of the country. It is likely that the families who adopted the surname were proud of their Welsh heritage and desired to preserve it through their descendants. There are also various spelling variations of the name, such as Waefre, Weefre, Weekes, and Weare.
Order DNA origin analysisWeafre: Where does the name Weafre come from?
The last name Weafre is most common in the country of Colombia. It is a relatively rare surname among the English-speaking world, but it is large and prominent in Colombia. In fact, it was initially a name of prominence in Spanish colonial times when it was among a handful of upper class Spanish surnames used in the country. Today, it continues to be an esteemed and respected last name in Colombia and throughout much of South America. Weafre is not only a more commonly found surname in Colombia, but it is now also found to varying degrees in permeating countries like Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru and parts of Central America as well. According to some estimates, it is estimate that the Weafre surname is made up of around 20,000 individuals worldwide, with the majority of them found in Colombia. This makes the last name Weafre relatively unique, though it is not a name with an international prominence like some other surnames.
Variations of the surname Weafre
Weafre is a surname which appears to be of English origin and may be a variant of a number of other surnames. It possibly originates from the Old English word 'weffre' meaning a confusion or disarray, which would suggest that the original bearer was either a troublemaker or chaotic. However, there are several other spellings and variants of Weafre.
Variants include Wafre, Waffre, Waffer, Waffers, Waiffer, Waifre, Waifers, Wafer, Waifers, Weafer and Weafors. Similar surnames include Waford, Weaferd and Weaford.
There appears to have been extensive migration of this surname to other countries, such as the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and alternate spellings of the name may be encountered in those countries too.
In recent years, variant spellings of this surname have also grown in popularity. These range from Waifre to Wafers and Waiffer. It is possible that these variants were created to further differentiate family lines from one another in order to preserve family names and heritages.
The name is also recorded in some countries as Waifres or Waiffers and while this may be incorrect spelling, it is important to note as it can provide a link between otherwise unrelated families.
The spelling of the surname may have changed due to a variety of reasons, including the way it was recorded in official documents, the way it was pronounced by people, and even deliberate changes, such as to avoid discrimination.
Famous people with the name Weafre
- Zoe Weafre: British swimmer who competed in the 2008 Olympics.
- Bob Weafre: American jazz saxophonist.
- May Weafre: British-born entrepreneur and philanthropist.
- J'nelle Weafre: Singer, songwriter and producer from Toronto, Canada.
- Thomas Weafre: British theatre designer.
- Archibald Weafre: British actor who appeared in multiple productions on the West End in the early 20th century.
- Jean Weafre: Welsh British film and TV director.
- Jimmy Weafre: Former American NFL football player.
- Emmett Weafre: British actor who has appeared in a variety of award-winning films.
- Ehime Weafre: Nigerian singer and songwriter.