Surname Wetzell - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wetzell: What does the surname Wetzell mean?
The last name Wetzell is a Germanic surname, derived from the German word Wetz or Wetzel, which means “cleaver”. The cleaver is a kitchen tool used for chopping and cutting food into smaller pieces. According to the National Geographic Society, the Wetzell surname began as a descriptive name for someone who is good at cutting and chopping.
The earliest recorded record of the surname is in 12th century Germany, where a man named Wilhelmi Wetzel signed a charter on land in the region of Magdeburg. The name has since become widespread throughout Germany, the United States and other parts of the world.
Wetzel is alternate spellings of the surname, which is still today seen as an all-purpose surname and can refer to almost anything that requires cutting and chopping. The variant spelling ‘Wetzl’ is sometimes used in Austria and Switzerland.
The Wetzell surname is also associated with the trade of mead, a fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey bee hives which is thought to date back over 8000 years. Danish records indicate that a man named Henning Wetzell was an official brewer of mead in 1564.
From farmers to brewers, the Wetzell surname has an ancient history. Today, the name is seen as a noble reminder of those who worked hard and used their talent for cutting and chopping, to make a living. Within this powerful family name lives a legacy of hard work and dedication.
Order DNA origin analysisWetzell: Where does the name Wetzell come from?
The last name Wetzell is predominantly found in the United States, with its highest concentration in the Northeast, Midwest, and South regions. It is also recorded in other parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The name appears to have originated in the German states of Bavaria and Saxony. Records of the surname in the German states date as far back as the 18th century. According to records, the first bearers of the name were likely settled farmers or tradesmen.
In the United States, the earliest trace of the surname was in Pennsylvania, where the German immigrants who came in the 1700s were known as “Pennsylvania Dutch”. This is where the name is thought to have been first used in an English speaking country.
The surname is still common in many parts of the United States today, especially the Midwestern states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. It is also found in other parts of North America, like Canada and Mexico, as well as other countries, such as Australia.
Overall, it is likely that the surname Wetzell is most common in the United States today, but that it also appears throughout the world.
Variations of the surname Wetzell
The surname Wetzell - pronounced VET-zel or WET-zel - can be spelled in a number of different variants, all having the same general origin and meaning. Variants of the Wetzell surname include Wetzel, Wettzell, Wetsal, Wetsill, Wetzal, Vetzel, Wetseel, Wetsill, Vetzell, Wetzeler, and Wetzler.
The surname originates from Germanic roots with the individual families likely being found in the Baden-Wurttemberg region of southwest Germany.
The name Wetzell means 'one who lives at a fishing weir' or 'near a fence' and could have been used as an occupational name for a fisherman. It can also have an ethnically Slavic origin, denoting a place inhabited by Slavic people.
Variations in spelling of the name can occur for a variety of reasons, including transcription errors, phonetic variations, and even intentional variations. In addition to the many spelling variants of the Wetzell surname,there are a variety of associated surnames, including Wetzeler, Wetzer, Wetzinger, Wetzke, Wetzerle, Wetzhause, Wetsch, Wetschri, Wetschner, Wetschhorn, Wetschhüller, Wetschenberg, Wetscher, Wetschnig, Wetsiedel, Wetson, Wettscher, and Wetzelsperger.
Overall, the Wetzell surname has a variety of Germanic and Slavic origins, and is spelled in a variety of different ways. Despite the range of spellings, all of these surnames derive from the same source, making it fairly easy to trace a family lineage through different spelling variations.
Famous people with the name Wetzell
- William Wetzell (1882-1971): German-born American film and theatre actor
- Cedric Wetzell (born 1935): American two-time Olympic basketball player
- Tom Wetzell (born 1952): American former basketball coach and broadcaster
- Dick Wetzell (1896-1976): American Major League baseball pitcher
- Don Wetzell (born 1936): American Minor League baseball player
- Hayley Wetzell (born 1996): American singer-songwriter
- Jeremy Wetzell (born 1991): American college basketball coach
- Kurt Wetzell (1928-2018): American theologian
- Larry Wetzell (born 1954): American former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Mary Wetzell (1876-????): American silent film actress