Surname Wicklein - Meaning and Origin
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Wicklein: What does the surname Wicklein mean?
The last name Wicklein has Germanic origins and is derived from the Middle High German words “wikleine” and “wiclein”, which mean “little bend” and “small corner”, respectively. It is believed to have originated from places that were located near sharp turns in the road, and families who lived there came to take the name Wicklein.
The Wicklein surname is most commonly found in southwestern Germany, particularly in the states of Baden-Wurttemburg and Bavaria. It is also found in parts of Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Given its Germanic and Middle High German roots, the Wicklein last name is of a Germanic Christian origin. It is likely that its original bearers were involved in some form of trade. It is also worth noting that the name can have several different spellings, including Wichlin, Wichlein, Wicklan, Wyklein, Wiklein, and Wicklin.
In modern times, the Wicklein name is still primarily found in Germany and its surrounding areas. There are, however, plenty of people of Wicklein descent scattered throughout the world. In the United States alone, one might find Wicklein families in just about every state.
Order DNA origin analysisWicklein: Where does the name Wicklein come from?
Wicklein is a German surname found primarily in Bavaria, Germany, although it can also be found in Austria, Slovenia, and the United States. Today, the name appears to be most common in the countries which form the current Federal Republic of Germany, particularly in the southern state of Bavaria. Within Bavaria, the name is most common in the urban centers of Nuremberg, Munich and Augsburg. It is also fairly common in cities throughout Germany such as Dresden, Hamburg, and Berlin.
In the United States, the last name Wicklein can be found in all regions which saw large-scale immigration from Germany in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This includes areas such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio. It is also relatively common in areas of more recent German immigration, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and other Midwestern states. Fewer Wicklein families can be found in the western United States, though some are now concentrated in California.
Overall, the name Wicklein appears to have spread from its origins in Bavaria, Germany to other parts of Europe, the United States, and other parts of the world. It remains comparatively rare compared to some other surnames derived from its homeland.
Variations of the surname Wicklein
The surname Wicklein is an anglicized spelling of the German surname "Wicklein" or "Wickl." It derives from the Middle High German nickname "wiklere" meaning "person from Wick" or "person from Wickh." Variations of the Wicklein surname include Wickly, Weakley, Wickele, Weekley, and Wyckle.
Wickley and Weakley are English variants that tend to occur more frequently in the United States. Although these two terms are used as surnames, they can also refer to a variety of places, sometimes referring to a small village or hamlet in England.
The German variant of the Wicklein surname is Wickele. It is a patronymic name derived from the personal name Wicko or Weko, which is derived from the Old German word “wiko” meaning “blessing” or “protection”.
Weekley is another variant of the Wicklein surname which is a combination of the prefix "Wic" and the suffix "ley" which simply means "meadow." This gives Weekley the meaning of "meadow of Wick" or "meadow of Wickh."
The final variant of the Wicklein surname is Wyckle, which is an Americanized variant that is also used as a first name. It is derived from the Middle Dutch word "wikele," which is a combination of the prefix "wic" and the suffix "le," meaning "little Wick." Wyckle can therefore mean either "little Wick" or "small meadow."
In conclusion, the Wicklein surname has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Wickley, Weakley, Wickele, Weekley and Wyckle.
Famous people with the name Wicklein
- John Wicklein: former major league baseball infielder from 1933-1943
- Don Wicklein: former college baseball coach
- Philip Wicklein: the former co-chair of the International Electrotechnical Commission
- Christopher Wicklein: a contemporary American flutist
- Danny Wicklein: a retired German footballer
- Miles Wicklein: a German footballer
- Eric Wicklein: a former Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent
- Carl Wicklein: a German Olympic fencer
- Ralf Wicklein: a contemporary politician from Hesse, Germany
- Shane Wicklein: an American professional hockey player