Surname Weihrich - Meaning and Origin
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Weihrich: What does the surname Weihrich mean?
The last name Weihrich is of German origin and is believed to have originated from both Bavaria and the Rhine-Palatinate region of Germany. The name is derived from the German word “wehr”, which means “defense”, and “rich”, which means “power”, giving the last name the meaning of “strong defense”.
In Bavaria, the Weihrich surname is found to be quite ancient, first appearing in records in the 1600s. It is often linked to the Weingartner family and is sometimes seen spelled as “Weihricht” or “Wehrrich”. In the Rhineland region of Germany, the Weihrich surname was mainly used by Jewish families who settled there in the 1700s.
Most likely, the Weihrich surname was originally used to denote the profession of military defence. In modern times, the Weihrich surname continues to signify strength and security. Its presence in both Bavaria and the Rhine-Palatinate region of Germany is indicative of its long and varied history.
Order DNA origin analysisWeihrich: Where does the name Weihrich come from?
The last name Weihrich is a very rare German surname. It is believed to be of either Slavic or Scandinavian origin. As of the 2000 United States census, only 63 people across the entire country claimed the name "Weihrich". These individuals are found mainly in the states of Ohio, Missouri, and California.
The origin of the name can be traced back to Germany. It first appeared in the region of Baden-Wurttemberg in the late 1700s, and may have been derived from the medieval Germanic personal name Vidaric or Widarich. It is most commonly found in the southern region of Bavaria. Today, it is more widely used in Austria, mostly due to an increase in migration from Germany in the 20th century.
Due to the small population of individuals that still bear this surname, there is not a great deal of readily available information about its history or current usage. However, it is clear that the last name Weihrich is a very uncommon one, with only a few cases spread out across the United States.
Variations of the surname Weihrich
The Weihrich surname has several variant spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spellings of Weihrich include Weihriech, Weihrauch, Weigand, Weyhrauch, Weighrich, Waighric, Weyhrich, Wehrich, Wehrlin, and Waigand.
The surnames Weigand, Weyhrauch, and Waighric are derived from a Middle High German word meaning “guardian”. Weihrich itself comes from the same word, but it was adapted in modern-day German to mean “worthy” or “noble”.
Wehrlin and Waigand are derivative forms of Weihrich. Wehrlin is an example of a father’s prefix—a tradition in which the father’s first name is adopted as the beginning part of the surname of their children. Waigand is derived from the popular German name “Wagemann,” which is a combination of the words “wage” and “mann” and had come to mean “bold.”
Weighrich is a variant spelling of Weihrich that is primarily found in the United States and its derivative form, Weyhrich, is most common in Australia and New Zealand. All of these derivative forms, and the original Weihrich, are all variations of the same name, and likely originated in Germany.
Famous people with the name Weihrich
- Mark Weihrich: former professional baseball catcher in the Major League Baseball.
- Carlos Weihrich: a former Argentinian footballer who played for clubs like Lanús and Sporting Cristal.
- Johannes Weihrich: a German physicist known for his research in the magnetic properties of metals.
- Willi Weihrich: an American politician who served as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives.
- Adolf Weihrich: a German cryptographer and mathematician, widely known for his contributions to the development of early computing machines.
- Konrad Weihrich: an Austrian zoologist, marine biologist and conservationist.
- Erika Weihrich: an Austrian film director and screenwriter, best known for her films “The Return of the Durken” (2015) and “My Brother’s Land” (2018).
- Stephan Weihrich: a German sculptor and performance artist whose works have been exhibited around the world.
- Reiner Weihrich: a German businessman with extensive experience in the automotive industry, especially in the production of luxury vehicles.
- Inge Weihrich: a Swiss painter and fashion designer best known for her hand-painted coats.