Surname Weirs - Meaning and Origin
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Weirs: What does the surname Weirs mean?
The surname Weirs is derived from the Scottish and Irish surnames Weir and Wier. It is a habitational name derived from places in Scotland. The place name comes from a Scottish Middle English word “weir” which is a reinforcement of a river bank which was usually used for catching fish.
The Weirs surname first appeared in Midlothian, Scotland, around 1808 and is also found in Ulster, Ireland. The Weirs were among the earliest settlers of the area and over time the family name became established. Other variations of the name include Weare, Wear, Wire, and Ware.
The Weirs surname is an interesting example of how surnames can be derived from geographical locations, in this case, a particular reinforcement of a river bank. This surname also invokes images of a fishing family who would have come from fishing communities. In addition, it nationalizes a powerful connection with rivers, which fills the past with identities and feature of Scotland and Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisWeirs: Where does the name Weirs come from?
The last name Weirs is mainly associated with Northern Ireland and Scotland. It is particularly common in Northern Ireland with a total of nearly 2,000 people bearing the Weirs surname according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census. The name is also found throughout Scotland, but in smaller numbers. In England, the surname Weirs is much less common. It was also found in the United States, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with nearly 2,000 people carrying the Weirs name according to the 2010 US census.
Today, Weirs is still a popular name in Northern Ireland, particularly in County Antrim and County Down. The highest concentrations of the Weirs surname in Northern Ireland today are in the cities of Belfast and Larne. The name is also found throughout Scotland in the cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.
Weirs is also found in other parts of the world, particularly in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, the name is mostly concentrated in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. In Australia, Weirs is widespread in the cities of Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Today, the Weirs surname continues to enjoy a degree of popularity mainly in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with small pockets of the name found around the world.
Variations of the surname Weirs
The surnames Weirs, Weir, Weirz, Weier, Wyer, Wiers, Weyers, Wears, Wers, Vyre, Vyres, Vyrez, Wiersz and Wierszkowski are all variants of the same origin.
The surname Weirs is of Old English and Scottish origin and is a topographical name for a dweller by or near a dam built across a river or burn to regulate the flow of water and/or supply a mill. The name is derived from the Old English "weir," which originally meant "a dam built across a stream to hold back water," or an "enclosure in a stream."
The name Weir also originated as a nickname for someone with an abundance of energy or someone whose occupation involved moving a large amount of water. Weirs is found mainly in Central Scotland and Northern Ireland, and associated mainly with Glasgow, while Weir is more commonly encountered in Glaswegian areas than elsewhere and is found mainly in Scotland, particularly in Perth.
Weyer is an alternative spelling for the German name Weier, which is derived from an old Germanic name, from “weg”—a type of enclosure or pasture. It is mostly found in western Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg. Weirz is a variant of Vyre, which is derived from the Middle English word "vyre" as well as the Old French ‘virer’ meaning ‘to turn’. It is found mainly in southern England.
The Wiers and Weyers surname is a Dutch and Belgian occupation surname for a maker of wicker baskets. The surname Wers is derived from the Middle English word ‘wers’ which means ‘over’, as it could refer to someone who lived over a specific feature. The Wiersz and Wierszkowski surname is derived from a German word "würsch," or sausage, and was a name given to a maker or seller of sausages.
Famous people with the name Weirs
- Kelly Anne Weir: Canadian journalist, human rights activist, and author.
- Andrew Weir: Scottish Gymnast.
- Rhona Weir: Scottish actress and screenwriter.
- Betsy Weir: American professional golfer.
- Peter Weir: Australian film director, producing films such as The Truman Show and Picnic at Hanging Rock.
- Bob Weir: American musician, a singer, songwriter, and founding member of the rock band The Grateful Dead.
- Joey Weir: Professional snowboarder
- Michael Weirs: former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for various clubs in the Premier League.
- Andrew Weir: Scottish cricketer
- Martin Weirs: English musician and singer songwriter best known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band Feeder.