Surname Wentenschuh - Meaning and Origin
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Wentenschuh: What does the surname Wentenschuh mean?
The last name Wentenschuh is of German origin and is derived from the German compound name “Wendenschuh” which literally means ‘turn shoe’. It is presumed to be an occupational name for a shoemaker, one who turned the wooden lasts, a form used to shape a shoe around when making it.
This name is found in records dating as far back as 1572 in Thuringen, Germany. It can still be found scattered throughout various German cities and regions and sometimes with a variety of spellings such as Wentenshuh, Windesaruh, Ventenshuhe, and Ventenshuh. It is also found in the United States, with the earliest recorded Wentenschuh being Johannes Wentenschuh, who emigrated from Germany to Baltimore in the mid 1700s.
The Wentenschuh family crest is typically described as a ‘crossbow between two branches of oak’. This is a symbol commonly associated with the profession of shoemaking and references the shoemaker’s job of stitching leather along the edges of soles in order to attach them to the shoe.
The Wentenschuh name carries with it a long tradition of excellence and craftsmanship, from the first shoemakers in Germany to the modern descendants who continue to honor this tradition across the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisWentenschuh: Where does the name Wentenschuh come from?
The surname Wentenschuh is most common today in Austria, particularly in the eastern Austrian states of Lower Austria and Burgenland. Records suggest that the earliest mention of the surname was in Northern Austria during the 16th century, making it one of the oldest Austrian surnames.
The name Wentenschuh is thought to come from the old German word winti, which means "friend". This could mean that the earliest Wentenschuhs were associated with friendly relations, much like the word's English equivalent "friend".
Other than in Austria, Wentenschuh is rarely encountered in Europe today. That said, there are some families bearing the name in the United States, Canada, and even Australia. Statistics from 1915 showed that 5,000 people in the US bore the Wentenschuh surname.
It is likely that the Wentenschuh surname is a result of migration from Europe, although it is not possible to confirm this definitively. However, the fact that it is still fairly widely spread across the world today suggests that a number of Wentenschuhs have been living abroad for many years. Even though the name has spread all over the world, a large majority of both modern and historical Wentenschuhs are still concentrated in Austria.
Variations of the surname Wentenschuh
The surname Wentenschuh is an old German name, and different variants, spellings, and surnames can result from the ways in which the original spelling of the name evolved. Variants of Wentenschuh include Vondenschuh, Wintschuh, Wontenschuh, Wandenschuh and Wandschuh. In German speaking areas, many of the variants of this name have evolved into more modern spellings – for example, both Wontenschuh and Vondenschuh have become Wenzelschuh in the more contemporary era.
Other surnames which can be traced back to the original Wentenschuh surname include Wenzel, Wenczel, Wenzl, Wenzli, and Wenzler. In addition, spellings such as Ventzschuch and Wenzschuch can be linked to Wentenschuh.
Variant spellings of the original Wentenschuh name also occur in many parts of the United States and other countries. In America, the name became Wenschuh, Wandschuh, Wencel and Wensel. The Wencel and Wensel spellings are particularly prominent in Pennsylvania.
From the original Wentenschuh spelling, the name has developed into many different spellings and has been adapted to numerous surnames over the years. The differences in spelling suggest that the Wentenschuh surname has been adapted over the centuries to fit the language and pronunciation of the regions in which it is used. It is likely that the original spelling of the surname has been corrupted and diluted over time due to variations in dialects when the name was passed down from generation to generation.
Famous people with the name Wentenschuh
- Robert Wentenschuh: An American former professional basketball player. He was a forward who played in college for Seton Hall and was in the NBA for two seasons.
- Simon Wentenschuh: An Austrian-Jewish entrepreneur who was forced to emigrate in 1938 due to the Nazi regime. He made his fortune in agriculture in Peru and co-founded the newspaper La Prensa.
- Leopold Wentenschuh: An Austrian-Jewish political scientist who wrote extensively about federalism and nationalism.
- Marie-Therese Wentenschuh: An Austrian-born film historian, lecturer, and consultant. She has worked on such films as Out of Africa, Schindler’s List, and Amadeus.
- Pia Wentenschuh: A German-Austrian fashion designer who specializes in modern, sophisticated couture, as well as ready-to-wear.
- András Wentenschuh: An Austrian-born conductor, pianist, and composer who is currently the Artistic Director of the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève.