Surname Weiße - Meaning and Origin
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Weiße: What does the surname Weiße mean?
The German surname Weiße is derived from the Middle High German word “wis” meaning “white”. As a name, Weiße was widely used throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. It was used to refer to people known for their connection to the physical qualities of whiteness, such as pallor and fairness.
The surname was most popular in the southwest regions of Germany, especially in Bavaria and Swabia. However, it is found across all of Germany and Austria as well. It was also adopted by many emigrants to other parts of the world, including America and Canada. In some parts of Europe, such as England, the name was anglicized to “White”.
Today, the name is still used all over the world and serves as a reminder of the people born with it: fair-skinned, intelligent individuals, likely seeking a better life abroad. As a surname, it is often the source of great pride to those who bear it, and it’s a tribute to their ancestors.
Order DNA origin analysisWeiße: Where does the name Weiße come from?
The last name Weiße is common in Germany, Austria, and other German-speaking regions of Europe. It is also present in French-speaking countries such as France, Luxembourg, and Belgium, especially in French-speaking areas of Germany, where it is recorded as 'Weiss' or 'Weisse'. In Poland and Czech Republic, it is occasionally encountered as 'Vajs' or 'Vajse'. Due to the large number of ethnic Germans who immigrated to the United States, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand, the last name Weiße is also found in these countries. For example, in the US, Weiße was ranked as the 1,521st most common last name in 2000, which means it was about three times more common than it was in Germany at the time. It is also prevalent in South Africa, particularly among the Afrikaners whose ancestors were mainly of Dutch and French ancestry, although some did come from Germany. In addition, the name has been found in Malaysia and Singapore since the 19th century, where it had been adopted by German emigrants. It is overall a very widespread name, with many countries being home to people who carry this surname.
Variations of the surname Weiße
Weiße is a German surname derived from the Middle High German “wîs”, meaning “white”. As a family name, this moniker dates back to around the 1400s. Its variants and spellings include Weiss, Weiß, Weis, Weisse, Wiess, Wieß, Wiesz, Weyss, and Weyse. In addition, this surname has several alternate spellings in other languages, such as Vise (in Dutch), Vize (in Russian), Vzya (in Belarusian), Vesi (in Finnish), Veesa (in Estonian), Wieś (inPolish), Vais (in Latvian), Viyi (in Ukrainian), and Vayse (in Czech).
The surnames Wis, Wisse, Wisze, Vise, Wise, and Wiseman also have roots in Weiße. In the United States, this surname can also be seen as White. This spelling is likely due to French and English immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries when the name was anglicised by immigration officials.
There are several famous individuals with the surname Weiße. Maximilian von Weizsäcker, a German physicist, is one such example. Another is Richard von Weizsäcker, a German politician and president. Architects and designers Charlotte and Peter Fiell, and painter and ceramicist Herbert Wiese are also examples of famous people with the surname Weiße.
In contemporary times, Weiße is still a popular surname throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other predominantly German-speaking countries. Though most people with this surname have roots in the German-speaking countries, it can also be found in countries all over the world in various spellings.
Famous people with the name Weiße
- Katy Weiße: Former American women's football player
- Christiane Weisse: German documentary filmmaker and director
- Klaus Weisse: West German wheelchair racer
- Eric Weisse: American basketball player
- Ernie Weisse: Former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Otto Weisse: Austrian Olympic javelin thrower
- Madeline Weisse: Former Miss America
- Martin Weisse: German sculptor
- Roland Weisse: German singer and musician
- Martin Weisse: Austrian ski jumper
- Michal Weisse: Former Czechoslovakian ice hockey player
- Hans Weisse: Czech football player
- Helga Weisse: German cyclist
- Uwe Weisse: German footballer
- Roger Weisse: Dutch artist
- Carlo Weisse: German opera singer
- Oswald Weisse: Austrian politician and statesman
- Heinz Weisse: German jazz trumpeter
- Thomas Weisse: Former world cup alpine skier
- Andreas Weisse: Austrian handballer and coach