Surname Wenninger - Meaning and Origin
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Wenninger: What does the surname Wenninger mean?
The surname Wenninger is an occupational surname of German origin, derived from a given name. The given name Wenninger can be derived from Wend, which means “to wander”. This indicates that the original bearer of the name was someone who was a traveling journeyman, either a craftsman or peddler. Later, the name was likely adopted to denote family members who adopted the same profession.
Wenninger can also refer to someone from the town of Wenninger, which is located in the Bavarian region of Germany. This place name is derived from "Wendino," which is derived from Wend, meaning “wanderer” or “traveler”. So, Wenninger could also refer to a family from this area.
The family name Wenninger became widespread in Germany during the Middle Ages. It was most common in the southeastern part of the country, and today it is still found mostly in this region. It has spread to other countries such as the US and Canada, where many immigrants from Germany can now be found.
In summary, the surname Wenninger is derived from the German given name Wend, meaning “to wander”. It was likely chosen to denote a family of traveling journeymen or those from the town of Wenninger. Today, the name can be found in Germany and abroad.
Order DNA origin analysisWenninger: Where does the name Wenninger come from?
The last name Wenninger is most commonly found in the United States, Germany, and Austria. In the US, the last name is most prevalent in the Midwest states such as Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. In Germany, the name is commonly found in Southwestern Germany.
In the US, the origin of the last name is believed to German or Swiss-German decent where it is derived from the Old German personal name Weninger, a pet form of Wening, which was short for Weningo or Wening, two personal names which are derived from the element "weno", which meant battle.
It is also possible, since Wenninger is a widespread last name in the US, that it may have taken on different forms in other countries. For example, the French version of Wenninger is 'Weninger', which is slightly different but still close enough to be related.
It is believed that Wenninger first came to America in the 18th century with German immigrants and has since spread all over the country. The highest concentrations today are still in the Midwest states that were most heavily populated by these immigrants. Other smaller concentrations exist in New York, Pennsylvania, and California.
It is relatively easy to find records of families with the surname Wenninger who can trace their ancestry back hundreds of years, with many families maintaining links to their German homeland. Over the years, the surname has been spread throughout the country through immigration and marriage. As a result, the last name continues to be quite common in America today.
Variations of the surname Wenninger
The variants and spellings of the surname Wenninger all come from the same root name, such as Weninger, Weniger, Wenniger, Weninger, Wennninger and Wennigar. Most of these variants come from a single root name, which was used by families in both Germany and Austria. It is thought that the original spelling of the surname either derived from the Old High German word ‘wenning’, which means ‘feat’ or ‘victory’, or 'winzeni' which refers to protection or safety.
In addition to the main variants of the surname Wenninger, there are also several other variants which are closely related and also share the same origin. These include Weningner, Weniger, Wenigar, Wennigar, Wennnig, Weininger, Weingartner, Weigner, Weinger, Weingtern, Weining and Winninger.
Variations and spellings of the surname are often dependent on region, as some regions have their own ways of spelling the same name. For example, the spelling of Wennigar has been found in both Austria and Bavaria, but Bavarian speakers tend to spell it with an '-er' instead of an '-ar'. As a result, the two variants of the name are often used interchangeably in both Austria and Bavaria.
Regardless of its original spelling, the surname Wenninger and its variations have been related to a number of prominent individuals throughout history. These individuals have come from a variety of fields ranging from politics to science, and their contribution to different aspects of society has been considerable.
Famous people with the name Wenninger
- Robert Wenninger: Professional tattoo artist known in Europe for creating colourful and intricate tattoo designs.
- Don Wenninger: American professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 2000 to 2006.
- Thomas Wenninger: German politician with the Christian Social Union, a conservative party in the state of Bavaria.
- Matt Wenninger: American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
- Paul Wenninger: Austrian writer and translator who wrote texts in his native tongue as well as in English.
- Madeleine Wenninger: French comic book artist best known for her satirical work on the French comic magazine Fluide Glacial.
- Ferdinand Wenninger:American pharmacologist and professor of medicinal chemistry at the Mayo Clinic.
- Johannes Wenninger: European ambassador to Peru from 2009 to 2017.
- Peter Wenninger: Brazilian soccer player who has represented teams such as Santos, Monterrey and Atletico Mineiro.
- Lorenz Wenninger: German mathematician best known for his works in algebraic and differential geometry.