Surname Wetterau - Meaning and Origin
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Wetterau: What does the surname Wetterau mean?
The last name Wetterau is believed to be of German origin, and is said to have originally derived from the German town of Wetterau, located in the state of Hesse. The name likely started out as a habitational name, which is used to reference a place of origin. It also has strong Christian associations, as Wetterau was sometimes referred to as “Heiliges Wetterau”,meaning Holy Wetterau - a reference to the strong Catholic presence in the area in the Middle Ages.
The literal meaning of Wetterau is “river in the forest”, referring to the rivers that ran through the forests of Wetterau. It could also be interpreted to mean “he who lives in the wet land”, reflecting the original inhabitants’ lifestyle and the fact that the area regularly experienced flooding caused by the rivers.
In some cases, the surname Wetterau has been modified throughout the centuries, though the original geographical significance of the name has remained the same. Many variations of the name have appeared over time, including Wattenau, Wettrab, Wettring, Waittherau, Wettingen, and Wetra.
There are many families with the last name Wetterau throughout Europe, particularly in Germany and the surrounding countries. The name is also popular in the USA, where it is most commonly found in North Eastern states such as Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Order DNA origin analysisWetterau: Where does the name Wetterau come from?
The last name Wetterau is most commonly found today in the region of Germany known as Hesse. Hesse is a landlocked state in the Federal Republic of Germany with the capital at Wiesbaden. The Wetterau region is an area of lowlands that lies between the rivers Rhine and Main in Central Germany and is located in the center of Hesse. Within this area, Wetteraukreis is a district and the historical center of the Wetterau. It is located between the cities of Frankfurt and Giessen and the Wetterau is a recognized cultural region of Germany with distinct attributes and customs.
In addition to Germany, Wetterau is also found as a surname in other areas of Europe. It is especially common in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands. A smaller number of Wetterau families are found in America, primarily those who emigrated in the 19th and early 20th centuries or have more recently relocated due to work or educational opportunities.
The origins of the Wetterau surname are unclear, but it is thought to originate from the Middle High German word weterun, meaning “wet or marshy place”, and may be linked to the low-lying landscape of the Wetterau region.
Variations of the surname Wetterau
The Wetterau surname has a variety of alternate spellings and variants. The most common alternate spellings are Wetteraw, Wettering, Wetterowicz, Wetteroff, Wetteroth, Wetterosch, Wetterlich, and Wettervog. Other uncommon spellings include Wettervac, Wetterweed, Wetterpaw, and Wettermuller.
Variants of the Wetterau surname are Wettereaux, Wetteraux, Wetterue, Wetteraugh, Wetterhoof, Wetterberg, Wetterhein, Wettery, Wetterford, and Wetterell.
Other surnames associated with the Wetterau surname are von Wetterauer, Wetterheiser, Wetterheil, and Wetterhahn. All of these variants and alternate spellings are derived from the same source.
The Wetterau surname is of German origin and is derived from a geographical location, specifically in the Wetterau region of Hesse, Germany. This region takes its name from the Old German word "wette"-meaning swampy land. Thus, the Wetterau surname depicts someone who used to live in the swampy land of the Wetterau region.
The Wetterau surname can also be associated with the names Wettern and Watten, since people who lived in the Wetterau area often adopted the name Watten or Wettern to distinguish themselves from others living in the same region.
In short, the Wetterau surname has a variety of variants, spellings, and associated surnames, all of which point to a German origin.
Famous people with the name Wetterau
- Lars Wetterau: Danish movie producer
- Poul Wetterau: Danish sculptor
- Roger Wetterau: German TV actor and director
- Joseph Wetterau: former CEO of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company
- Fritz Wetterau: German businessman
- Harro von Wetterau: German scholar
- Julia Wetterau: German businesswoman
- Eva Wetterau: German photographer
- Connie Wetterau: Grammy Award winning musician
- Justin Wetterau: American professional basketball player
- Andrew Wetterau: author and professor of English
- Polly Wetterau: German-American novelist
- Dan Wetterau: American businessman
- Harry Wetterau: American multidisciplinary artist
- Helmut Wetterau: German actor
- John Wetterau: American attorney
- Karl-Dieter Wetterau: German electronics executive
- Manuela Wetterau: German academic
- Maximilian Wetterau: German media producer
- Michael Wetterau: German actor