Surname Weigt - Meaning and Origin
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Weigt: What does the surname Weigt mean?
The surname Weigt is of German origin and is a variant spelling of the surname Wieght or Wieghte. The name is derived from the German word wiege, meaning weight. It is thought that those bearing the name originally worked as millers or weigh masters in some capacity and the name likely began as a nickname for someone with such a job.
The name first appears in written records from the 12th century when a certain Conrad der Weighe appears in a record from Speyer, Germany. This type of surname, one that developed from a unique profession, is known as an occupational surname. People with this type of name often had a place of work that was associated with their name and it served as an identifier.
In the centuries to follow, the surname Weigt spread to other parts of Europe and eventually it made its way to the United States, where it can now be found in some parts of the country. The meaning of the name Weigt and the history of the surname is still known to many today, even though most families bearing this surname are not actively working in the profession that gave rise to the name.
Order DNA origin analysisWeigt: Where does the name Weigt come from?
The last name Weigt is believed to be of Germanic origin and is most common today in Germany, with the highest concentration of people bearing that name found in the North-Rhine Westphalia region of Germany. The surname is particularly prevelan in and around the cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.
In the United States, Weigt is much less common, and is found primarily scattered around the Midwest States; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. It can also be found in limited numbers in New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania and the western coastal states of Oregon, Washington, California and Arizona.
The Weigt surname was among the many Germanic surnames that began to emigrate to the United States in the 1800s, with the majority of those who settled in the Midwestern states arriving in the mid-to-late 19th Century. Since then its popularity has diminished, with many spelling variations such as Weicht, Wiet, Wight, Wilhelm, and Wilkenson.
Contemporary persons bearing the Weigt last name are generally descendants of these earlier immigrants and their families, who have since, typically, become assimiliated into the host culture.
The last name Weigt is derived from the German word 'weig' which means 'ride' or 'direct'. It is thought to have originated as a locational surname from the Germanic villages and hamlets of Wadgassen, Weigetsweiler, and Weitersweiler. The earliest known record of the Weigt surname was of a Hartwin Victoricus de Wagasen who was recorded in the Landesarchiv Koblenz in 1186.
Variations of the surname Weigt
The surname Weigt, or Weiget, is a German or Swiss name of obscure origin. Early forms of the name included Weig, Weigt, Weigth, Weiget, Weigths, Weigett and Weighell. It is likely that the modern form of the name is derived from the old German word ‘weig’ which meant ‘slender’, or ‘light’.
Variations of the name include Weigand, Weight, Weigandt, Weisel, Weigelt, Wegen, Weichel, Weigle, Wegert, Wieght, Weicker, Weiker, Weile, Weiglein, Weigel, Weickert, and Weichel. Surnames with similar origins include Weis, Weiß, and Weißs.
In some cases, the name would have taken on a similar spelling to the English version of Weigt which is Weight. Examples of this name would be Wait, Wate, Waite, Waight, Waighte, Waitey, Wayte, and Wayt.
The name can also have been found in countries outside of Germany, such as in Austria and Switzerland. Variants of the name in these countries include Weit, Weitl, Weich, and Weins. In addition, surnames derived from the original German root of Weigt, such as Weih, Weigend, Weizen, Weib, and Weidlich, have been found in Austria. In Switzerland, the surnames Weishaupt, Weesamann, and Weeren were all derived from the original Weigt surname.
Some other surnames derived from Weigt have been found outside of Europe. These include Witt in North America, as well as Weigandt, Wiicht, Weiz, and Weiger in South America.
Overall, the surname Weigt has a number of variants, spellings, and related surnames. This is due to the migrations of the German, Swiss, Austrian, and other Europeans, as well as their descendants, throughout the world.
Famous people with the name Weigt
- Alex Weigt: German Olympic athlete who was a long jump and decathlon competitor in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Games.
- Lily Weigt: American professional soccer player who currently plays for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League.
- Juergen Weigt: German professor of Theoretical Physics and Radioactivity at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
- Ingrid Weigt: German research historian, she served as a professor of Contemporary History at the University of Jena.
- Christa Weigt: East German former Olympic swimmer who participated in the Olympic Games of 1972 and 1976.
- Konrad Weigt: German World War I pilot and flying ace.
- Bruce Weigt: American jazz pianist who has played with such noted artists as Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, and Joe Henderson.
- Karl Weigt: Austrian architect and professor at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna who is known for his works in neo-Romanesque and Bauhaus architecture.
- Christine Weigt: German journalist and politician who is serving as a Member of the Bavarian state parliament for the AfD.
- Michael Weigt: German German entrepreneur and founder of movietech GmbH, one of the world leaders in camera stabilities and motion control systems.