Surname Wiesemann - Meaning and Origin
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Wiesemann: What does the surname Wiesemann mean?
The last name Wiesemann is a German surname with both locational and occupational meanings.
When used as a locational surname, Wiesemann would have initially referred to a person from a location called a “Wiese” or “Wiesen”. The word “Wiese” is German for “meadow” or “grassland”, and would thus indicate that a person of the surname Wiesemann initially hailed from a meadow.
The surname Wiesemann can also infer an occupational origin, as its translation “man of the meadow” hints at someone who worked outdoors, in or around meadows or grasslands. Men from families of this name could have initially been employed in varied outdoor professions such as farmers, shepherds and wildlife hunters.
The prevalence of the Wiesemann surname is found mainly in Western Europe, and especially in Germany, where it is ranked among the top 500 surnames in the country. The name is also fairly widespread in the United States, where its frequency is substantially lower than in Europe but still somewhat common.
Wiesemann is an old surname with a rich history which continues to link it to the outdoor vocations it has been associated with for centuries. Persons who bear this surname can take pride in belonging to an historically established and respected name.
Order DNA origin analysisWiesemann: Where does the name Wiesemann come from?
The last name Wiesemann is today most commonly found in Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and Canada. It is an old German surname, derived from the Old German word "wiseman" and meaning "wise man".
In Germany, the surname is found mostly in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as in areas of Hesse and Thuringia. According to the 1990 census, it was the 81st most common surname in Germany.
In the United States, the last name is considered uncommon, and the 2000 US census recorded only 563 people with the surname. It's most commonly found in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, and New York, as well as Wisconsin and Illinois.
In Canada, the last name is reported to be sparse, however, there are records of it appearing in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
The surname is also reported to appear in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe, as well as Australia.
Variations of the surname Wiesemann
The surname Wiesemann is of German origin and has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variants of the surname are Wieseman, Wiseman, Wisemann, and Wysman. Additional spellings of the surname include Wiesemann, Wysmann, Wisman, Wyssmann, Wysman, Wisselman, Wysamann, Weisman, Vissman, Vissmann, Wisseman, and Woesemann.
The surnames of the same origin include Weismann, Visser, Wissel, Veesemann, Weisener, Veyssman, Vaysman, Weisman, Weisemann, Weisener, and Wisselmann.
This surname has an occupational origin, derived from the Middle High German word ‘vizeman’, which meant ‘manager’. It was most commonly used as a surname by people working in managerial roles in agriculture and trade.
The variants and spellings of the surname all originate from the same German root word, and as such are an example of how European surnames evolved over time and varied by region. Although the various spellings may look different on paper, their pronunciation remains the same.
Famous people with the name Wiesemann
- Wolfgang Wiesemann: German politician, government representative, advisor and author
- Michael Wiesemann: German physicist, medical scientist, professor and inventor
- Hubertus Wiesemann: German geophysicist
- David Wiesemann: German historian and medieval theology expert
- Rudi Wiesemann: German football manager and former professional footballer
- Annette Wiesemann: German composer and recording artist
- Peter Wiesemann: German philosopher and professor
- Henning Wiesemann: German sociologist and professor
- Christa Wiesemann: German philosopher and academic
- Felix Wiesemann: German novelist, playwright, translator and columnist