Surname Weißmantel - Meaning and Origin
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Weißmantel: What does the surname Weißmantel mean?
The last name Weißmantel is of German origin and is believed to have originated from the Middle High German "wîsimant" meaning white garment. This surname is thought to have originally been used as a descriptive name for someone who was known to wear a white mantle or a person who was often in the company of those who wore white mantles such as priests or monks.
In more recent times, however, it is likely that the surname has grown to represent a variety of professions. For example, one might assume that a Weißmantel is a tailor or a furrier due to the association with clothing. Alternatively, a Weißmantel may have been a brewer as a winter cloak was often used to keep warm in a cold brewery.
In the modern day, the surname Weißmantel is still quite common in German-speaking countries, particularly in Austria and Germany. It is also not unheard of in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
Though the origin of this surname is unknown, it is clear that it has evolved over the years and is often associated with occupations that involve either clothing or cold-weather work. Thus, it is likely that the surname has come to represent someone with a legacy of hardworking individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
Order DNA origin analysisWeißmantel: Where does the name Weißmantel come from?
The last name Weißmantel is quite common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking countries today. It is thought to have originated in Bohemia and Bavaria in the Middle Ages when families would use animal names as a kind of coat of arms or crest. A ‘Weissmantel’ was a white-coloured mantle, and the surname would have referred to someone who owned or wore one.
It tends to appear in many records as Weissmantel, Weissmantle, Weismantel, Weismantle, Weismeller, and other variants; when used in Germany today it is usually written as Weißmantel.
In the USA, Weißmantel is quite rare, though it does appear in some of the records of German immigrants who arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is found particularly in the Pennsylvania Dutch region of the country, in the areas around Reading and surrounding counties, and in some other parts of the Midwest.
In Canada, Weißmantel is uncommon but it does appear in some records. It is particularly present in Ontario and around the Windsor-London area where there was significant German settlement. The name is somewhat more common in Alberta, where it appears to have arrived from the US in the late 19th century.
Overall, the last name Weißmantel is most common today in German-speaking countries, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as in the US and Canada, where it was brought by German immigrants.
Variations of the surname Weißmantel
The surname Weißmantel is a German word derived from Weiß, which means white, and Mantel, which means coat or cloak. It is commonly found in the Upper Austrian region and is derived from people who gave the impression of wearing a white cloak or coat. This name is also spelled Weismantel, Weissmantle, Weismandel, Wojsmantel, or Wocsmantel.
Being an occupational name, the variants of the surname Weißmantel vary slightly in meaning, as certain occupations used to be associated with certain colors or works of clothing. For example, Wojsmantel could be referring to a person who worked in the wool industry wearing a woolen wrap, or possibly an 'armourer' wearing a large, thick coat of mail.
In addition to a variety of variants for Weißmantel, there are also other surname variants stemming from the same origin. These include Weismüller, meaning "white miller"; Weisbrot, meaning "white bread"; and Weisshaar, meaning "white hair". As with the Weißmantel surname, all of these variants refer to someone's physical appearance or occupation.
In conclusion, Weißmantel is an old German surname derived from the combination of proximate words Weiß and Mantel, and is mostly found in the Upper Austrian region. Common variants of the surname include Weismantel, Weissmantle, Weismandel, Wojsmantel, and Wocsmantel. Further surname variants derived from the same origin include Weismüller, Weisbrot, and Weisshaar.
Famous people with the name Weißmantel
- Ulf Weißmantel, German politician
- Anton Weißmantel, German jurist
- Conor Weißmantel, American cyclist
- Uwe Weißmantel, German professor
- Sandra Weißmantel, German rhythmic gymnast
- Romeo Weißmantel, German footballer
- Fabienne Weißmantel, German Paralympic skier
- Bruno Weißmantel, German linguist
- Stephen Weißmantel, American biochemist
- Martin Weißmantel, German composer