Surname Wethers - Meaning and Origin
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Wethers: What does the surname Wethers mean?
The surname Wethers is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English term "wether," which means a castrated ram. It was originally given as a nickname to an individual that was said to resemble a wether in some way; perhaps referring to a person's stubbornness, mildness, or other characteristics typically associated with sheep. The name may also have occupational roots, used to denote a keeper of sheep, specifically one who tended to wethers. Like many surnames, over centuries and generations, modifications in spelling occurred due to regional dialects, spelling inconsistencies, and other factors, leading to variations in spelling such as Wether, Whether, Wither, and others. Today, the surname Wethers is found in many countries, including England, the United States, Australia, and Canada, amongst others.
Order DNA origin analysisWethers: Where does the name Wethers come from?
The last name Wethers is most common in the United States and the United Kingdom today. In the United States, Wethers is one of the more common surnames, ranking 16,075 out of 88,799 names according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Census 2020 population survey. In the United Kingdom, Wethers is more localized, but is found throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Despite its high ranking among the most popular surnames in the United States, the origin of the Wethers is less certain than many other common surnames. One possible explanation is that the name was derived from a Middle English word meaning “weather”, and it might have indicated someone who was in charge of a household weathervane, or perhaps a family had a trade in weather forecasting.
Another origin story says that Wethers is a variant of Wetherell, a derivation of a place name and a sign of local origin — Wethersfield, in London, perhaps, or Wetherby in Yorkshire. In either case, it's likely that Wethers is an English version of a much older Germanic, Viking, or Norman name - possibly Wettra, Wetter, or Wether.
Whatever its origin, Wethers is a relatively popular last name in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States, and it looks to remain that way for some time.
Variations of the surname Wethers
The surname Wethers is a common Anglo-Saxon name that can be spelled in many different ways. The most common variant spellings of Wethers are Wether, Wethersby, Weathers, Weatherby, Withers, Wetherby, and Whithers. The surname Wethers is derived from the Old English “weder”, which means sheep or ram. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who tended sheep or rams, or someone associated with the care or trading of livestock.
The variants of the surname also appear as Wetherell, Wetherelt, Weddell, and Wedell. Surnames formed from this root include Wedd, Wedderburn, Wedderlaine, Wedderman, Wedderspoon, Weddington, and Weddle. The surname Wethers is sometimes used with the prefix "Fitz", which is Norman in origin and denotes someone descended from the illegitimate son of a nobleman. Examples of surnames with this prefix are Fitzweders, Fitzwether, and Fitzwethersby.
The Welsh variant of the name Wethers is Fawrth. The Irish variation is MacFheorais, while the German variant is Wieders. Wethers is also found in Scotland, where the spelling is Wither or MacWhirter. The Scandinavian spelling is Veders, while the Dutch and Flemish version is Weders. The Spanish spelling is Vegeter.
The Wethers surname continues to be used in its various variants across the English-speaking world. Variations of the name are also found in countries where English is not the primary language, indicating its ancient origins and wide geographical dispersal.
Famous people with the name Wethers
- Annabel Wethers: British television and radio presenter
- Kenny Wethers: American NFL player
- Pat Wethers: British Olympic Gymnastics coach
- David Wethers: British actor
- Lisa Wethers: American Television Producer
- Montez Wethers: NFL Analyst
- Victoria Wethers: British Art Curator
- Tessa Wethers: British Actress
- Tom Wethers: American architect
- Chrisopher Wethers: British Politician