Surname Wegmeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Wegmeyer: What does the surname Wegmeyer mean?
The last name Wegmeyer is derived from the combination of elements from German language. The first element of the surname ‘Weg’ is derived from the Proto-Germanic word ‘wagaz’, meaning 'path'. The second element ‘meyer’, originally the name Meier, is a form of the German word ‘meiger’ meaning 'mayor' or 'steward'.
Therefore, the origin of the surname Wegmeyer suggests that it was initially applied to a person who was a mayor or steward along a path or a road. Such a person likely was responsible for managing a specific path or a road. Alternatively, the surname Wegmeyer could also refer to the person’s contents to offer goods or services along a path.
Centuries ago, families were typically identified by a certain trade or occupation and the last name Wegmeyer likely developed from this practice. This surname was likely very common during the Middle Ages, when people were extremely dependent on the journeymen for various services and goods.
Today, the surname Wegmeyer is still common in Germany, Austria, and other German-speaking countries in Europe. It is also found in the United States and other countries around the world, usually among prominent families of German origin.
Order DNA origin analysisWegmeyer: Where does the name Wegmeyer come from?
The last name Wegmeyer is most commonly found in Germany and surrounding countries today. It is a German last name derived from the German word for miller, Wegemeier. It was a name taken on by those who worked as millers, either in a grain mill or a sawmill.
In Germany, the most common areas to find the surname Wegmeyer are in the Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse regions, particularly the cities of Wiesbaden, Frankfurt am Main, and Mainz. The name has also become widely scattered to other regions of Germany, including the states of Bavaria, Hamburg, Saxony, and Baden-Wurttemberg.
The surname also appears in records of other German-speaking countries, such as Austria and Switzerland. Data collected from 2017 suggest the name Wegmeyer continues to be quite common in Germany, with over 4,000 records of individuals with the last name, spread throughout the country.
Outside of Germany, there are smaller pockets of the name Wegmeyer in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. It is especially common within certain areas of the Midwest in the U.S., as well as within various areas in the U.K. These non-German locations likely gain the surname through immigrants who emigrated from their home country, bringing their family name with them.
Overall, today the last name Wegmeyer is quite common in Germany and surrounding countries, and a few smaller pockets in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Wegmeyer
The Wegmeyer variant is spelled as Wegmeier, while its alternative spellings are Wegmaier and Wegemeiër.
In the Netherlands, the Wegmeyer surname has many associated alternative surnames. The most common variations associated with this surname are Wegman, Wegmans, Wegmeler, and Wegmuller.
Wegman is a Dutch occupational name derived from the Germanic ‘wagemon”, which means “wagon maker”. The name Wegmans is an abbreviated form of the surname; and Wegmeler is a variant spelling of Wegmaier.
In German, the Wegmeyer surname has deleted the "Meyer" syllable and become simply Weg. It also has various spelling variations such as Wege, Wegger, Wegner, Wegler, Wegeler, Wegelin, Wegel, Weglar, Wegben, Wegldinger, Wegfair, Weggland, Weghammer, Wegscheid, Wegerich, Wegfahrer, Wegfahrner, Wegholk, Weglerin, and Wegger.
In England, the Wegmeyer surname has been Anglicized to Walker or Webber, a common English occupational name meaning ‘weaver’ or ‘cloth maker’.
Wegmeyer is also a variant form of the German name Wagner, a name derived from the Old High German word “wagan” meaning “wagon”. The Wagner variant is used in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
Apart from these, there are other surnames associated with the Wegmeyer surname, such as Veirs, Weyman, Buckner, and Weinman. These surnames are thought to have either been derived from the same original surname or from the same family name that split into various branches over generations.
Famous people with the name Wegmeyer
- Christoph Wegmeyer: a German entrepreneur, investor and author.
- Daniel Wegmeyer: a German film director.
- Horst Wegmeyer: a German artist and journalist.
- Marius Wegmeyer: a German composer and keyboardist.
- Matthias Wegmeyer: a German professor of finance.
- Sven Wegmeyer: a German political scientist and speechwriter.
- Melissa Wegmeyer: an American TV news anchor. 8.Colin Wegmeyer: an American journalist and entrepreneur.
- Isabel Wegmeyer: a German TV presenter. 10.Nina Wegmeyer: a German actress and theatre director.