Surname Widdmann - Meaning and Origin
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Widdmann: What does the surname Widdmann mean?
The surname Widdmann is of Germanic origin, deriving from the pre-7th-century personal name "Widman". This name was composed of two elements: The first being "widu", which referred to “wood”, and the second being "man", which was a byname for someone who was brave, strong and noble. Alternately, it may also have been derived from the same sources as the Old English personal names "Widmaer" and "Widhelm", which both contain the element "wig", meaning “war”.
The original bearer of this personal name would have been a leader in various respects, such as a bandit chief or a chieftain of a brigand group. Over time, this name was passed down to descendants and eventually became Widdmann as its own surname.
Today, this surname is still common in Germany, with the earliest records of its usage dating as far back as the 14th century in the regions of The Palatinate and Silesia – both located in what is now Western Poland. In modern-day Germany, this surname is still predominantly found in the western regions of the country, with its most common distributions being in the states of Baden-Wurttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Some famous people bearing the Widdmann surname include composer Johannes Widdmann, saxophonist Swen Widdmann and boxer Walter Widdmann.
Order DNA origin analysisWiddmann: Where does the name Widdmann come from?
The last name Widdmann is a German surname, and is most commonly found in southern Germany and Austria. It is also spread throughout most of the German-speaking world, including parts of Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, and Russia. It is less common elsewhere, though there are small pockets of Widdmann families further afield, particularly in the United States and Canada.
The origin of the name Widdmann is thought to be from an early Germanic name, Widmann or Winnersmann. It is derived from the Old German Widda, which is believed to have meant "warrior". It is also thought to have been a nickname for someone with a pronounced temper.
In the German telephone directory today, there is approximately 9,700 people listed with the name Widdmann. In Austria, there are around 1,100 people with the last name. In most of the other countries where it is found, the numbers of people are relatively small. In the US, there are only about 200 people listed with the name. The highest concentration in the United States is in Pennsylvania, with the greatest number located in the Philadelphia area.
The Widdmann name today speaks of a strong sense of German heritage and culture, and is a reminder of the many German families who have emigrated to foreign lands to seek a new life for themselves and their descendants.
Variations of the surname Widdmann
The surname Widdmann is an old and rare German surname believed to have originated in Saxony. It is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "wideman" which means woodsman. Other variants of the surname Widdmann include Widmann, Widemonn, Wyddemann, Witte-Mann, Wiedemann, Wiedmann, Widemann, Widman and Wyttenmann.
The Widmann spelling is found predominantly in the eastern parts of Germany, while the Wiedemann name is common in northwestern Germany. Both the Widemann and Widman surnames are frequent in Bavaria and Austria respectively. The remaining variants are mainly found in parts of Europe such as Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and are more commonly seen in documents from the 18th century.
Widdmann is a patronymic form of the surname, which indicates that it is derived from the forename of the parent of the original bearer. Patronymic names developed from the given name of the father and in this case, the name Widmann would have been derived from the given name Wido or Wido.
Overall, the various spellings and surnames of this family all appear to have descended from a single shared ancestor who used the surname Widman. The different variations indicate subtle variations in spelling and pronunciation which likely developed depending on the region in which the Widdmann ancestors lived.
Famous people with the name Widdmann
- Delmer Widdmann (American television art director)
- Harry Widdmann (American professional basketball player)
- William Widdmann (American Latinist, librarian, and professor)
- Bob Widdmann (American radioman, radio commentator, and naval officer)
- Henry Widdmann (British amateur tennis player)
- Anna Widdmann (Australian badminton player)
- Brandon Widdmann (American former Major League Baseball shortstop)
- Luigi Widdmann (Italian silversmith, painter, and priest)
- Pierre Widdmann (German eye surgeon and professor)
- Lionel Widdmann (New Zealand rugby union player)