Surname Wiegering - Meaning and Origin

Wiegering: What does the surname Wiegering mean?

The last name Wiegering is a German surname derived from the Middle High German words “wigeren” and “gringen”, which both mean “to hunt for", “to look for” or “to search”. This could be a reference to someone who was a hunter or someone who was searching for something.

Wiegering is an uncommon name, which may be due to it being a patronym (a surname derived from the first name of a father) rather than a family name. This indicates that the name comes from someone’s father’s first name. The first part of the surname, “wie”, is likely an abbreviation of the first name Wieger, which was fairly common in Germany during the Middle Ages. Wieger is a German form of the name “Virgil”, which is derived from the Latin word “virga” meaning “wand” or “rod”.

Given its origin, people with the Wiegering surname are likely descended from someone who was a hunter and/or had a father with the first name Wieger. This surname gives a hint to its bearer’s ancestral history and gives clues to their professional background. Wiegering could also be an occupational surname, as it could refer to someone who searched for something in their professional life.

Wiegering: Where does the name Wiegering come from?

The last name Wiegering is most commonly found in Germany today. It is especially prevalent in the states of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bavaria, and Hessen. In 2015, the city of Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalia had the most people with the surname Wiegering in the country.

The last name Wiegering is derived from a German personal name, Wieger, which means “warrior”. The name is thought to have been given to those who were seen as particularly valiant or courageous fighters.

It is also possible that the name was given to those who lived on or near the banks of the Wieger, a river in Germany. This is likely due to the fact that the German language commonly used vernacular names for towns and topographies, meaning that someone living near the river may have been given the surname.

Today, there are likely many descendants of the Wiegering family living in Germany, as well as other countries around the world. These countries include the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and beyond, as many Germans immigrated in search of a better life in the 19th and 20th centuries. Thus, while the surname Wiegering may still be most strongly associated with Germany, there is likely a growing population of people with the name across the world.

Variations of the surname Wiegering

The surname Wiegering can be spelt, depending on the language/area, in a variety of ways including Wiggering, Wiegerink, Wiegering, Vegering, Wigering, Wygering, Wygerink, Wygering, Wegering and Wegerink.

Originally, this surname derived from the personal name Wigher, which was formerly a popular male personal name in the Netherlands. The original spelling of this name dates back to the 9th century, and infers with a derivative of the old Germanic word ‘wig’ which means battle.

Surnames which have links to the Wiegering family are known to include Wygens, Wygers, Wygermeijer, Wygersma, Wiegmans, Wegers, Weggerig, Weggerink, Vegers, Vegersma, Vegeminga, Vegers and Vegering. These surnames would have been taken from the locations in which the Wiegerings’ moved from, or alternatively from those that protected them.

More recently, relatives or descendants of the original Wiegering family can be known to have migrated around the world, and within different languages the spelling of the name has changed in various methods. Therefore, depending on which language is being spoken, variants such as Wijgering, Weigerink, Vegers or Wegerma could be used.

Overall, the surname Wiegering has a variety of spellings and surnames which have stemmed from the same origin. As the name has spread outside of the original language and area, the spelling has been adapted and changed, making it difficult to trace the original origin of this particular lineage.

Famous people with the name Wiegering

• Emily Wiegering: Emily Wiegering is an American field hockey player who is selected to play for the US National Team in the 2021 Olympics.
• Jürgen Wiegering: Jürgen Wiegering is a German footballer who plays for the FSV Wuppertal in the Regionalliga West division.
• Wieger Pander: Wieger Pander is an accomplished artist from the Netherlands who specializes in sculpture and draughtsmanship.
• Kimberly Wiegering: Kimberly Wiegering is an American actor who is most widely known for her role in the television series “The Middle”.
• Elizabeth Wiegering: Elizabeth Wiegering is a writer and editor of fiction and nonfiction, with a focus on lifestyle and business pieces.
• Johannes Wiegering: Johannes Wiegering is a Dutch historian and academic who specializes in medieval history.
• Astrid Wiegering: Astrid Wiegering is a German journalist and author who focuses on socio-cultural and historical topics.
• Bernhard Wiegering: Bernhard Wiegering is a contemporary German painter, renowned for his vivid, surrealistic works.
• Heinz Wiegering: Heinz Wiegering is a Dutch actor and radio announcer who is widely known as a voice actor for popular animated film series.
• Michael Wiegering: Michael Wiegering is a German mathematician who has made numerous contributions in the field of mathematics.

Other surnames

Wiegerich