Surname Weßels - Meaning and Origin

An Emotional Journey into Family History with iGENEA and the Weßels Surname

Entering the world of genetics with iGENEA, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery that forever altered my perception of the surname Weßels. Discovering connections both near and far, this evocative voyage into my past was both a deeply emotional and enlightening experience.

A. Weßels

Weßels: What does the surname Weßels mean?

The last name Weßels is of German origin and is derived from the German word “Wessel,” which refers to an area of uncultivated marshland where a group of people lived or worked together. The surname is connected to several areas in Germany, but is most closely associated with Saxony. In the modern day, the name is most often spelled Weissels or Weßels.

The Weßels are a family of traders and merchants, and the name itself signifies someone who is wise and knowledgeable in handling money and trade. Those bearing the name are often associated with a formidable business acumen, and the Weßels name has come to signify natural financial ability. This aptitude has been passed on to those holding the name, which today is found in many countries across Europe.

Historically, the Weßels family is closely connected to the Ederbergland region of Germany, first mentioned in the 12th century. In that century, it is thought that the family name originated in the small towns of Washallen and Burgfeld, near the city of Kassel, where the name was first recorded. Today the name is most often associated with northern Germany, but the Weßels family was seen throughout Germany in the High Middle Ages.

The name is quite rare in the modern day, but those bearing it have strong ties to the area where their family originally came from. Those holding the Weßels name often have a deep reverence for their family's history and are proud to keep its cultural traditions alive.

Weßels: Where does the name Weßels come from?

The last name Weßels is a common German surname, which can still be found concentrated in certain parts of Germany today.

The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is on the western side of the country, shows the highest concentration of Weßels in the country. Here, Weßels can be found largely in the large cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf, Aachen, and Dortmund.

Weßels is also fairly common in Bavaria, particularly around the city of Munich. This area tends to show a slightly higher concentration of this name compared to neighboring states.

The last name Weßels can also be found scattered throughout most other German states such as Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saxony. However, the frequency is much lower and it is usually found only in the more rural areas.

Outside of Germany, the last name Weßels can also be found in a few other countries to a much lesser degree. These countries include Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein to the south, as well as the Netherlands and Belgium to the west.

Altogether, the last name Weßels is a distinctly German name that is still most commonly found around the western parts of the country.

Variations of the surname Weßels

Weßels is a German and Dutch surname with various spelling variants and cognate surnames across Europe.

In German, the name can be spelled Weßels, Wesels, Wessells, Wessels, Wessels, Wessles, Wessel, Wessell, Wesels, Wesle, Welzel, Welsel, Wiesel, Vessles, and Vessl. All of these alternate spellings share the same origin, and are related to the Old High German words “wisal” or “wisalan” which mean “to protect or guard”.

In Dutch, the name is written as Wezels, Wesels, Wessels, Wessels, Wezels, Wesle, Wezel, Wezelaar, Wezeman, and Wesman. All of these alternate spellings share the same origin in the Middle Dutch word “wizele” which means “to guard”.

In English, the name can be found as Wessels, Wessells and Wessles. In French, the name is rendered as Wessel, Lessen, Lessens, and Wesel. In Italian, the cognate forms include Vesslla, Vessolo, and Vessilli. In Polish, the names are spelled Wezło, Wieżel, Wieślicki, Wieślik, Wiślicki, Wegło, Węsłowski and Wiele. In Spanish, the name is written as Wecel, Wecels, Weezel, Wesels, and Wessle.

In Scandinavia, the name is often seen as Wessel, Weschl, Weschels, Wesl, Vessl, Wessli, Wesslan, Wissland, Vissland, Vesslan, and Vessli. All of these spelling variations have the same origin in the Old Norse words “vísal”, which means “to guard”, and “víslan”, which means “to carry out”.

In Russia and Ukraine, the name is spelled Vyss, Vez, Vich, Vichov, Vele, Velez, Wece, Veçel, Wecel, and Vezal. In Greece, the surname is often written as Viscali, Viscalioti, Visalli, Vissali, Vissalli and Biscalis. In Hungary, the surname is written as Vaszl, Vaszli, Visszl, and Visszli. In Slovakia and Czech Republic, it is written as Vesel, Veseli, and Ves. All of these variants have the same origin in the root words “vísal” or “víslan”.

Famous people with the name Weßels

• Eckhard Weßels: German political scientist
• Hendrik Weßels: German writer and director
• Karl Weßels: German violinist, teacher, and composer
• Tim Weßels: German footballer
• Lucas Weßels: German footballer
• Toby Weßels: Dutch competitive sailor
• Felix Weßels: German historian and church historian
• Hans-Ulrich Weßels: German attorney and honorary professor
• Klaas Weßels: Dutch landlord, church councilor, and singer
• Thomas Weßels:German editor
• Gerd Weßels: German lawyer, entrepreneur, and politician
• Ann-Kathrin Weßels: German sports shooter
• Jan Weßels: German football player and coach
• Kurt Weßels: German Leuphana University professor
• Marcel Weßels: German footballer
• Rudolf Weßels: German politician

Other surnames

WeßelWeßelerWeßeloh