Surname Wefers - Meaning and Origin

Wefers: What does the surname Wefers mean?

The last name Wefers is of German origin and is rooted in the Middle Ages. The family name is thought to refer to someone who was known as a ‘weaver’, as the Old High German word ‘wever’ (meaning ‘weaver’) is similar to both Wefer and Wefers. Weavers were highly valued craftsmen in the Middle Ages, creating textiles that were used for many different purposes. Weavers used a loom to interlace vertical threads (warp) with horizontal threads (weft) to make both plain and patterned fabric.

The Wefers family came to Germany with the spread of Christianity in the tenth century and became established in various parts of Germany including the region of Westphalia. For many centuries, members of the Wefers family have prospered in Germany, forming branches in several German-speaking countries, as well as in other parts of the world.

Today, the Wefers family continues to be found in Germany and other countries in Europe, as well as in the United States and Canada. As a regional surname, it is associated with its German language roots and its medieval trade professions. This suggests that those who bear this name today are still connected with their traditions and values as craftsmen who create things of beauty through their skill. Ultimately, the name Wefers reflects skill, hard work, and tradition.

Wefers: Where does the name Wefers come from?

The Wefers surname is a German patronymic surname originating from a given name created from the Germanic elements “wefer”, meaning “warrior”, and “berht”, meaning “bright” or “famous”. Today, Wefers is a common surname throughout Germany and is also present in areas of the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. According to a surname popularity index, Wefers is the 487,095th most frequent surname in the world, with an estimated 44 bearers in 2020.

In the United States, Wefers is not as common as it is in Europe. According to the US Census, the surname is quite rare in the United States, with less than 100 recorded bearers in 2019. In all of North America, the surname ranks within the top 1 million surnames.

The Wefers name is both an occupational name and a patronymic surname, with bearers from both Germany and the Netherlands being recorded as early as 1332 in the register of the Church of Halberstadt. Since then, it has been found in records and documents throughout Europe. Wefers is also found in records in the United States, with the earliest recorded bearers of the surname arriving in the 19th century.

Overall, Wefers is a relatively rare surname both in the United States and abroad. However, it is still relatively common in parts of Europe, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium.

Variations of the surname Wefers

The surname Wefers is derived from the Germanic name "Wafar", which was derived from the Germanic elements "wiga", meaning "war" and "heri", meaning "army". The name was also rendered in early Latin as "Waffari". Variants of the surname Wefers include Wafers, Weavers, Wefers, Weffers, Weffershagen, Weffershauer and Weffersheim.

Wafers is the most common spelling variation of the surname, and it is thought to be a contraction of the name Wefers. The surname Wafers can be traced to Germany, where it is still found predominantly today. Weavers is another variant of the name, which can be found in Germany and some other parts of Europe. The spelling Weffershagen is likely derived from the German placename Weffershagen, which roughly translates to "Wefers Mirror”.

The surname Weffershauer is derived from the Old German word "wafari", meaning "protection" or "shield". This name likely originated as a nickname for an ancestor of the family who provided protection for others. Weffersheim is another spelling variant of the name, which can also be traced to Germany.

Regardless of the spelling variation, all these names are related to the original Germanic name "Wafar", and they all share the same meaning of “army” or “warrior”. The Wefers family is an old one, and their name shows their roots in the past.

Famous people with the name Wefers

• John Wefers, German businessman
• Malte Wefers, German professional football player
• Günther Wefers, German film director
• Uwe Wefers, German painter
• Carl Wefers, German country music performer
• Martina Wefers, German ice-skater
• Marion Wefers, German journalist and author
• Rainer Wefers, German nature photographer
• Otto Wefers, German World War I flying ace
• Bart Wefers, Dutch actor

Other surnames

WeferWefering