Surname Weßolek - Meaning and Origin

Weßolek: What does the surname Weßolek mean?

The last name Weßolek is German in origin and is a regionalized spelling variant of Weissel. The name Weßolek is derived from the German verb “weissen”, which means “to whiten”. As such, the name Weßolek likely had its origins in the name of an ancestor who whitened cloth or furs. It is likely that this ancestor lived in an area of German-speaking Europe that used the “ß” character in place of “ss” as a letter.

The name Weßolek may also have derived from the Old German personal name “Wisselo” or “Wissele”. This name is formed from elements meaning “wise”, “crafty” or “clever”, and “heir” or “acquirer”. It is also possible that it may have been given to a person who was alert and careful or to one who kept watch over or was responsible for maintaining property.

The last name Weßolek has a long history in German speaking regions of Europe, and is found today throughout Central and Eastern Europe. It is likely to have been introduced to other parts of the world by German immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Weßolek: Where does the name Weßolek come from?

The last name Weßolek is most commonly found in Germany today. Reeds German Old and Family Name Dictionary traces the origins of the name to several regions of what is now Germany. One source from the region of Lower Saxony traces the name to the town of Wesel. The Oldenburg area of Germany, which is now part of Bremen, also has a reference to Weßolek as a common surname in their genealogical records. In addition, it also appears in small amounts in North Rhine-Westphalia, including the Lower Rhine region of the nation.

The name itself is derived from either the personal name Wessel, a combination of the Old German words Walthari and Valke, or the personal name Walso, also originating from the Old German. It's much more common to find the name spelled Wessel or Wessolek, with Weßolek being a variation on the spelling. It also appears in some of the German colonies in the New World during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The spelling of the name may differ in different countries. For example, in the Netherlands the name is spelled as Wesselink and in Poland the name sometimes appears as Węsolek. In France, it’s spelled Vésollier, and in England it's often spelled Walshoelek or Wessoleck.

Despite the spelling variations, the surname Weßolek is still a relatively common name in Germany to this day. It can also be found in other parts of Europe and in immigrant communities in the United States.

Variations of the surname Weßolek

The surname Weßolek is derived from the Germanic surname Wessel. Variants of this surname include Wessel, Wessollek, Wesselak, Wesselakk, Wesseling, Wesseling, Wesolek, and Wessolek. Historically, the surname could also be spelled Weßel or Weßelak.

In western Germany, the surname Wessel is most commonly found in the Rhineland in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse, as well as the North German Low Saxony states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, and Hamburg. Other German regions where the surname is still quite common include Saxony-Anhalt, Saarland, and Bavaria.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Wessel is a certain Wilizelm who was active in the city of Mainz in the year 960 and is recorded in an ancient Latin document from that time.

The dated form of the surname in different parts of Germany has also been used to provide an indication of its origin. While some forms appear to have travelled with the people who surnamed themselves Wessel, others appear to have taken their name from certain geographical locations in Germany. For instance, the form Wesseling appears to have come from the medieval German town of Wesseling, which is located in the Rhineland.

Variations in the spelling of the surname Weßolek also depend on where it is found in the German speaking world. In Austria, the spelling Wesselakk is used, while in Switzerland the spelling Wesseling is more common. In Poland, Weßolek is usually spelled Wessolek, and in the Netherlands the spelling Wesolek is preferred. A surname related to Weßolek found in regions outside of Germany is Visser, which is a Dutch surname.

Famous people with the name Weßolek

• Jorinde Weßolek: She was a German actress, best known for her performance as Erna in the 1941 film Unternehmen Michael.
• Alexander Weßolek: He is a German entrepreneur and a co-founder of the Hidden Midland, a company dedicated to the discovery, preservation, and study of shipwrecks and maritime history.
• Christian Weßolek: He is a German professional footballer who plays as a winger for VfL Wolfsburg.
• Marco Weßolek: He is a German football manager, most recently managing VfL Wolfsburg's U19 team.
• Sebastian Weßolek: He is a German biomedical researcher and academic, best known for his studies on cancer.
• Nils Weßolek: He is a German professional football player, currently playing for Holstein Kiel.
• Petra Weßolek: She is a German TV presenter and journalist, best known for her work on the German television show 'Pleiten, Pech und Pannen'.
• Johann Weßolek: He was a German politician who served as a Member of Representative Assembly of the German Confederation.
• Malte Weßolek: He is a German musician, most recently playing for the band Therion.

Other surnames

Weßoleck