Surname Weissmüller - Meaning and Origin
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Weissmüller: What does the surname Weissmüller mean?
The last name Weissmüller is an occupational surname derived from the German language. Originally, the surname was referring to someone who worked in a workshop that made müller (mills) and did weiß (bleaching and dyeing) work.
The most famous bearer of the name is undoubtedly Johnny Weissmüller, an Olympic swimming champion who went on to become a successful actor, playing famous roles such as Tarzan. An American Olympian of Austrian-Hungarian descent, Johnny's parents immigrated to the United States when he was two years old with the aim of starting a new, better life.
Weissmüller has been adapted into the English language and is found in many different spellings, including White Miller, the most common form. Weissmüller is a very rare surname and can be found predominantly in Austria and other German-speaking countries.
The Weissmüller name is an interesting link to the family’s German-Austro-Hungarian heritage, but also an inspiring reminder of what one can achieve if one sets their sights on the right goals. Johnny Weissmüller's story serves as a great example of the power of determination and hard work to achieve success.
Order DNA origin analysisWeissmüller: Where does the name Weissmüller come from?
The last name Weissmüller is most commonly associated with Olympic swimmer and actor Johnny Weissmüller, making it a largely German name. Weissmüller signifies a person who produces or makes wheat flour, and is derived from the Old High German word "muller," which translates to "mill."
Today, Weissmüller can be found in Germany, the United States, and other parts of Europe. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, over 8,000 people carry the Weissmüller surname within the United States. The largest concentrations of Weissmüller families can be found in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois.
In Germany, the surname is more widely dispersed, with situated mainly in the Bavarian region, according to Sagasea. Deutsche Vermoegensberatung, the world's largest insurance and finical services company, and Weissmüller GmbH, a leading provider of products and services for construction, solar, and installation industries, both have a considerable presence in Germany and can be traced back to Weissmüller family members living there.
In general, the Weissmüller name is not particularly common, whether within the United States or Europe, but it can be found scattered around the globe. With its German roots, the name carries much of the same character as many other popular German surnames.
Variations of the surname Weissmüller
Weissmüller is a German surname, originating from places with the German words weiß (white) and Müller (miller). Alternately, the surname could mean a innkeeper, from the Middle German verb mülen meaning “to grind”.
Variants of the Weissmüller surname can include Weismueller, Weismilller, Wismuller, Weismeuller, Weisman, Wisman, Wisselman, Wisselmann, Wizzelmann, Wiesmüller, Weirmüller, Weirlmüller, and Wirmueller, all of which are effectively the same thing. Other spellings might include Weismueler, Wiesemueller, Wieselmuller, or Wischelman.
The Weissmüller surname can also be written in related languages as Weissmueller in English, Weissmuller in German, and Blancmuller in French.
In some cases, surnames that sound very similar but have totally different meanings and origins can be confused with the Weissmüller surname, such as Weiseman, which is derived from a parent's given name (Karl Weiseman for example).
Weissmüller is also a common Jewish surname which, in this case, is likely to originate from a place name. It could be the German city of Weisenthal, or the municipality of Weissmühle in Austria. This is also known as Weissmil in Yiddish, with the variation Weissmilch also seen in some places.
Whilst the spelling and its variants can differ slightly, the origin and meanings largely remain the same.
Famous people with the name Weissmüller
- Johnny Weissmüller: Johnny Weissmüller was an Austrian-American competition swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in a series of films.
- Elias Weissmüller: Elias Weissmüller was a well-known German/American artist, sculptor and teacher in the early 1900s. He was the uncle of Johnny Weissmüller.
- Ludwig Weissmüller: Ludwig Weissmüller was a German opera singer and composer.
- Alfred Weissmüller: Alfred Weissmüller was a German Olympic athlete and participant in the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympic Games.
- Ernst Weissmüller: Ernst Weissmüller was an Austrian ski coach and Olympic athlete.
- Georg Weissmüller: Georg Weissmüller was a German theatre director and actor.
- Heinrich Weissmüller: Heinrich Weissmüller was an Austrian actor best known for his roles in German films.
- Karl Weissmüller: Karl Weissmüller was a German painter who was known for his landscape painting in a post-Romantic style.
- Sebastian Weissmüller: Sebastian Weissmüller was a German-Austrian actor and screenwriter.
- Ernst Weissmüller-Windisch: Ernst Weissmüller-Windisch was a German military officer, who served in World War I and later in the Austrian army.