Surname Weitowitz - Meaning and Origin
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Weitowitz: What does the surname Weitowitz mean?
The last name Weitowitz is a German surname most likely originating from the Middle High German “wîdi,” which means “meadow.” It is thought that those with this surname were likely landowners with meadows in Germany.
The surname was primarily found in the regions of Bavaria and Silesia and may have been later adopted by families in other parts of the German-speaking territories.
The variation “Weitzvitz” or “Weitzvits” is a spelling used in the Czech part of Germany. It is believed that this variation could have been adopted by Czech families living in the German regions during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire when the border was less defined.
Similar surnames exist, for example “Weidewitz” which could have been a more northern German variant of the same surname and is likely derived from the same root word “wîdi.”
The surname “Weitowitz” is still present in Bavaria, where it is believed a large portion of the families migrated to, and in Austria, where it could indicate an origin story of families moving westwards or even northwards during the wars and migrations of previous centuries.
Though not as common as other surnames, the Weitowitz surname could still be seen in some areas of Germany in the present day.
Order DNA origin analysisWeitowitz: Where does the name Weitowitz come from?
Weitowitz is a surname that is primarily found among Ashkenazi Jews. It is most common in the United States, Israel, and Canada, although there are traceable records in some parts of Europe.
In the United States, the greatest concentrations of Weitowitz families are in California and New York. The name is also found in the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
In Canada, the greatest numbers of Weitowitz are found in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Fewer Weitowitz are found in Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan.
In Israel, the name is commonly found throughout most of the country, particularly in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tiberias.
In Europe, the name Weitowitz is found primarily in Germany, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Whatever the origin of the surname, it is clear that a large number of Weitowitz families still exist today, living in varied parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Weitowitz
The surname Weitowitz has two main variations: Weitwitz and Weitwitzer. Both variation spellings of this surname originated as an Ashkenazic Jewish surname.
Weitwitz, which is the more common version of the surname, originated in the Polish language, meaning “praiser” or "person of praise." This spelling is found in various locations including the United States, Germany and Israel.
Weitwitzer, or Weitwitzter, is an alternate spelling of the surname, and is mostly found in the United States and Canada. This variation of the surname is derived from the German word weitwitzer, meaning brave or valiant person.
Other variations of Weitowitz include Weitwiz, Weittaiz, Weittaz, Weitowetz and Weitowits.
Additional surnames of similar origin include Weidwiz, Vermontz, Waits, Weit, Whitewitz, Weitenau, Weison, Weitman, Weitz, Weitzel, Weidenbach, Weitkamp, Weity, and Weitman.
Weitowitz is a fairly uncommon surname, but its variations and related surnames are found in many countries across the world. It is most commonly found amongst the Jewish population in Europe and the United States.
Famous people with the name Weitowitz
- Jacob Weitowitz: actor, writer, musician, director, and producer.
- Teddy Weitowitz: musician, songwriter, and producer.
- Benjamin Weitowitz: American writer, lyricist, and actor.
- Philip Weitowitz: three-time Emmy nominated television director and producer.
- Justine Weitowitz: German-Jewish musician and singer.
- Markus Weitowitz: German actor and director.
- Marcus Weitowitz: Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer, conductor, and music teacher.
- Robert Weitowitz: Austrian actor, director, and screenwriter.
- Scott Weitowitz: American music director, composer, and conductor.
- Jeff Weitowitz: Grammy-nominated American music producer and sound engineer.