Surname Weigenannt - Meaning and Origin

Weigenannt: What does the surname Weigenannt mean?

The last name Weigenannt is derived from a German surname of the same spelling. The name is a combination of two elements; "Weiß" which means white, and "Gannt" which is derived from the Greek biblical word Gareth, meaning "mighty, strong, or brave". The combination of these two elements results in a name that can be translated to mean "strong white".

The roots of this surname can be traced back to the Middle Ages when it originated as a name taken from a Germanic warlord, which was passed down from generation to generation as a last name. As the people carrying the surname moved around Europe, the name eventually spread to different countries and regions.

The surname is primarily found in Germany and Austria, but it can also be found in many other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The same spelling is used in all of these countries in their corresponding languages.

In Germany and Austria, Weigenannt is generally seen as a surname held by many people from the same family. However, in the other countries mentioned, the last name is not usually associated with a single, family-oriented association.

In summary, the German surname Weigenannt is derived from a combination of two elements: "Weiß" meaning white and "Gannt" derived from Gareth meaning "mighty, strong, or brave". It is a surname that has historical roots in the Middle Ages, and it is primarily present in Germany and Austria, but it can also be found in many countries around the world.

Weigenannt: Where does the name Weigenannt come from?

The last name Weigenannt is a fairly uncommon name. It is mostly found in Germany, where the vast majority of the 36 recorded instances of the name in the German phonebook are found. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Wiege", meaning smith. Due to its rarity, there are very few people with this name in other countries.

In the United States, the last name Weigenannt has only been found in a few specific locations in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois. It can be assumed that the surnames of Weigenannt’s roots were carried by immigrants from Germany to the American Midwest during the 19th century.

The most prominent Weigenannt family in the US today resides in Wisconsin, with its most famous member being the late Bill Weigenannt, a prominent local businessman. Research suggests that the family is part of the larger Weigenannt clan.

Perhaps as the American Weigenannts become more visible, the name will become more common. Until that happens, however, the name Weigenannt is not likely to be seen or heard of often, unless one is German or of German descent.

Variations of the surname Weigenannt

Weigenannt is a German surname that originated from an occupational surname for a wagoner; someone who operated a horse-drawn wagon to haul freight. The earliest known recordings of the surname date back to the 16th century and over the centuries it has branched off into different spellings and variants.

The most common variants are Weigand, Weigant, Weylandt, Weyel, Weilant, Weigle and Weigmann. Each variant is pronounced in a slightly different way and some have more than one accepted spelling. For example, Weigand can also be spelt Weigend, Weigert and Weygand. Similarly, some variants have surnames with multiple spellings such as Weylandt can also be spelt Weiland or Weilande.

A variant of the surname Weigenannt that is not often seen is Weiger. There is also the less common variant Weigerfort which could be derived from the German term "weiger fort" meaning to refuse to keep going.

Variants from other countries include Weigant in Sweden, Weygel in Estonia and Weigel in Romania. Variants of the surname can also be found in the USA with spellings such as Weagant, Weygandt and Wagenant.

Overall, the surname Weigenannt has many variant spellings and related surnames, some of which can be difficult to identify due to the regional and language variations.

Famous people with the name Weigenannt

• Dieter Weigenand: politician who served as a member of the Bundestag from 2005 to 2013.
• Thomas Weigand: professional snowboarder who competed in the 2007 and 2008 Winter X Games.
• Anna Weigenant: Swedish actress who has appeared in several feature films including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
• Richard Weigang: German classical composer of the early 20th century.
• Uli Weigang: German footballer who was a member of the German national team in the 1990s.
• Jan Weigend: German screenwriter and film director who won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992.
• Heinz Weigend: renowned British engineer who helped to developed torpedo technology during the Second World War.
• Josef Weigand: German race car driver who competed in Formula One from 1956 to 1964.
• Karl-Heinz Weigang: Austrian conductor who led several renowned symphony orchestras in Europe including the London Philharmonic and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
• Peter Weigant: German painter whose works can be found in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich and the Josef Weinheber Museum in Vienna.

Other surnames

Weigenand