Surname Wetterauer - Meaning and Origin

Wetterauer: What does the surname Wetterauer mean?

The last name Wetterauer is a German name. The root of the name was derived from German words for “weather” and “upper”, with the literal translation of “Wetterauer” being “weather-upper”. This suggests that the family either held a position of authority over some sort of meteorological forecasting or tracking, or that they may have come from an area that was known for its weather-related geographical features.

This family name likely originated as an Occupational Last Name, a name given to someone to signify their profession. At one point in history, “Wetterauer” would have been a job title - a "weather-upper" - and the name simply stuck with the family.

Other than the occupational origin, the Wetterauer family as a whole has had a somewhat mysterious history. It appears on records from the late 1600s in the German-speaking parts of Central Europe, the area which today is the southeast of modern Germany.

Over the years, the name has been associated with a number of notable individuals, such as German physicist Albrecht Wetterauer who contributed to the theories and research on quantum mechanics in the early 20th century.

Whether you are descended directly from the original Wetterauer family or you are simply attracted to this intriguing name, it is clear that the name carries with it a rich history and an interesting story to tell.

Wetterauer: Where does the name Wetterauer come from?

Today, the surname Wetterauer is primarily found in Germany. Wetterauer is a German occupational name, derived from the word Wetterau which is the name for an area of Hesse, Germany. Since at least the 17th century this surname has been primarily found in the Wetterau area as well as the Hessian states of Main-Taunus-Kreis, Mainz-Bingen, Offenbach, and Rheingau-Taunus Kreis. Nonetheless, those with the surname may have since spread to other parts of Germany or further afield.

The Wetterauer surname can also appear as Wetterhauer, Wetteraur, Wetterour, or Vetterauer and was given to those who worked on a farm or in a hamlet in the area. Today, it is most common among those living in the same rural, agricultural areas of the Wetterau as in centuries past; it is not a particularly common surname in other areas of Germany, or the wider world, outside of its origin.

The Wetterauer family in Germany today can trace its heritage back through centuries of history in the same region where many of their ancestors still live. In 1990, around 80 people with the surname Wetterauer were registered living in Germany, mostly in the states of Hesse and Lower Saxony. Though the numbers may have grown or decreased since, it's clear that the surname Wetterauer continues to have a presence in Germany.

Variations of the surname Wetterauer

The Wetterauer surname is a German name with multiple variations in spelling, while the various spellings or variations each have their own origin, many of them are related and have the same root. The most common variants for Wetterauer are Wetterauer, Wetterau, Wattrau, Watterau, Wettrau, Wattrae, Watteraue, and Weterow.

The Wetterauer root is ultimately derived from the German language, and “Wetter” is the German word for ‘weather.’ As such, the Wetterauer surname generally has a literal meaning relating to the weather—it has been suggested that the name could be literally translated to be ‘weather’s rule,’ or that the original bearer of the name was engaged in some profession regarding the weather.

The various spellings of Wetterauer can be found throughout present-day Germany, as well as in places where German immigrants have settled over the years. In the United States, the surname is prevalent in such regions as Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and many other states dotted throughout the country.

Wetterauer is also found as a surname with other surname suffixes, such as the German suffix "-mann." This variant has produced surnames like Wetterauermann and Wetterman, which are encountered in limited numbers in Germany and the United States.

The Wetterauer name has many other variations, with spellings and suffixes differing between those traditionally found in Germany and those typically encountered in the United States. It is an important reminder to researchers that widely-found variant spellings do often, though not always, yield the same ultimate origin and meaning.

Famous people with the name Wetterauer

• Philipp Wetterauer, German-Swiss rower
• Melanie Wetterauer, German-Swiss rower
• Willam Wetterauer, American college football coach
• Ina-Maria Wetterauer, Swiss curler
• Robert G. Wetterauer, American economist
• Paul Wetterauer, American physicist
• Friedrich Wetterauer, Austrian physician
• Wilhelm Wetterauer, German-Austrian sculptor
• Martin Wetterauer, German painter
• Wolfgang Wetterauer Jr., German lawyer

Other surnames

Wetterau