Surname Weittekemper - Meaning and Origin
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Weittekemper: What does the surname Weittekemper mean?
The last name Weittekemper is a German surname, believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "Witewkemepper", meaning a "cube measurer". This likely refers to a person who measured out grains and other dry goods into cubes or boxes for trade or sale. In the modern day, the name is typically seen spelt as Weitkemper, which means "square measurer".
During the Middle Ages, the Weitkemper family served as traders and merchants in the trading city of Hamburg, Germany and are believed to have originated from this area. The Weitkemper name was also found in Arnsberg and elsewhere in Westphalia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
In terms of heraldry, the Weitkemper family is associated with a coat of arms featuring a black griffin on a blue background. This symbol was used to symbolise strength, courage and vigilance, all qualities that were important to the merchant family and would have been highly valued.
At present, Weitkemper is a relatively common surname in Germany and there are still many members of the Weitkemper family living in the country. As a result, the name has also spread to other parts of the world and there are some Weitkempers living in other countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisWeittekemper: Where does the name Weittekemper come from?
Weittekemper is a German surname that is common primarily in the areas where German settlers first arrived in the United States in the late eighteen hundreds. The states where it is most commonly found are Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Minnesota. It is also common in a few other Central and Midwestern states like Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, where German-Americans had a substantial influence during the 1800s and 1900s.
Weittekemper is also found in other countries with a larger German diaspora. It is prominent in the Netherlands, France, Australia, and South Africa. In some regions of Canada, the surname can also be seen in areas with a substantial history of German settlements.
The surname can be found in Germany as well, mainly in the western states around North Rhine-Westphalia, where the Germanic dialect of Low German is spoken. Weittekemper is also found in some Austro-Bavarian and Hessen regions, likely originating from German immigrants to these areas in the 1800s and 1900s.
Overall, the surname Weittekemper is associated with Germanic populations, whether in the United States, Canada, Europe, or further abroad. In the areas where German immigrants and settlers first arrived hundreds of years ago, the surname can still be seen today.
Variations of the surname Weittekemper
The surname Weittekemper is derived from the Old German given name Wittekind, meaning “white child”. Other variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Wittke, Wittken, Wittkemper, Wittkempf, Wittkemper, Wittkomm, Wittekemper, and Wittköp.
Wittke is a frequent variant of the name in Germany, and its origin is even described as a ‘Low Germanization’ of Wittekind, suggesting that the two variants have often been used interchangeably. Fittingly, Wittke has been found used in records in the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, with records dating back to medieval times.
The variant Wittken dates as early as the 13th century in Germany, and was used in areas such as Rheinland-Pfalz, Westfalen and Schleswig. It is theorized that the variant is formed from the God chosen name “Witekind” combined with the diminutive suffix -ken, which was popular among given names in the region during the Middle Ages.
Wittkemper is an equally old variant of the name, originating from the same German origin as Weittekemper. Over the centuries, it has been used regularly in Germany, mainly in Westfalen and Rheinland-Pfalz, while records can be found using Wittkempf as early as the late 1800s, mostly in the Rhineland-Palatinate.
Similarly, Wittekemper and Wittköp are also variants of Weittekemper, both used largely in the Westphalia and Rheinland-Pfalz areas. Both variants were used to a lesser extent in the 19th century compared to the other surnames, but appear in records from the region. Finally, Wittkomm is a variant found regularly in areas of Brandenburg and Westfalen, with records going back to the late 17th century.
Famous people with the name Weittekemper
- Dominic Weitekemper: German sprinter, participated in the 2008 Summer Olympic games.
- Sebastian Weitekemper: Also a German sprinter, participated in the 2016 Olympics.
- Heinz Weittekemper: Member of Germany's Mens Olympic handball team in 1988.
- Brigitte Weittekemper: A German heptathlete who participated in the 2000 Olympic Games.
- Günter Weittekemper: A German javelin thrower who represented his country at numerous international competitions, including the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
- Monique Weittekemper: German breaststroke specialist who represented her country at several international competitions, including the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
- Matthew Weittekemper: An American professional hockey player who plays for ECHL's Indy Fuel.
- Richard Weittekemper: A German ice hockey player who represented his country at the 2000 and 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
- Jürgen Weittekemper: German footballer who represented Germany at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
- Heinrich Weittekemper: German football manager who coached various clubs over the years, most notably Fortuna Düsseldorf in 1981.