Surname Wijnans - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wijnans: What does the surname Wijnans mean?
The last name Wijnans is of Dutch origin, and it is derived from the Dutch word “Wijn” which means “wine”. The suffix -ans is derived from the popular Dutch suffix "-en", which means "from". Thus, the last name Wijnans roughly translates to mean "one from wine" or "one of the wine people".
This surname is most common in the Netherlands, with 759 current bearers of the name residing in the country. However, individuals with the surname have spread across the globe and can be found in other parts of Europe, North America, and beyond.
The surname is generally associated with occupations that involve wine and other alcohol-related activities. Given the country the surname is derived from, it is perhaps not surprising that individuals with the surname are typically affiliated with the production of wine, distillation of spirits, and/or the sale of beverages.
The name is historical in nature, and it likely has roots in an ancient Dutch culture which revolved around the production and consumption of wine. In addition, the name Wijnans is also related to the famous Old Dutch family names Wijna and Wijnman.
It is likely that individuals with the surname share a common ancestor who was associated with wine in some capacity. It is possible he may have distilled or sold wine, or he may have been a well-respected lapidary or metalworker among those who made and sold wine related items such as bottles, barrels, or shutters. Regardless, the surname is a testament to Dutch heritage and the culture of wine production that has been an integral part of the Dutch landscape throughout the ages.
Order DNA origin analysisWijnans: Where does the name Wijnans come from?
The last name Wijnans is most common today in the Netherlands. Wijnans is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning son of Wijnand – Wijnand being a medieval Dutch personal name composed of the elements “wijn” from the Germanic wini, meaning “friend” and “and” meaning “brave”, “bold”.
The surname is most numerous in the Netherlands, where it ranks as the 678th most common surname in the country, with approximately 16,750 people having it as their surname. Wijnans can also be found in Belgium, where approximately 20,600 individuals carry the name.
It is also spread more widely across the world, with the biggest population being in the United States, with approximately 34,000 people. Other countries where the surname can be found include England, Scotland, France, Germany, Poland, Australia, and South Africa.
The name Wijnans is believed to come from the village of Wijnandsrade, near the Dutch city of Maastricht as it emerged as a surname almost exclusively in the region, suggesting that it is indeed derived from the town.
The Wijnans surname is still prevalent in the Netherlands and Belgium, however, it is also somewhat widespread in other parts of the world, where one can find individuals with the surname.
Variations of the surname Wijnans
The surname Wijnans is a Dutch surname, derived from the Middle Dutch personal name 'Wynant'. It is often spelled as 'Wynants', and other variants include 'Wyants', 'Wyantsen', 'Wijnants', 'Wijnantsen', 'Wijnand', 'Wijnands', 'Wijnandts', 'Wijnandtsen', 'Wijnantsz', 'Wijnantszen', 'Winand', 'Winands', 'Winandts', 'Winants', 'Winantsen', and 'Winantsz'.
The Dutch prefixes 'Wij' and 'Win' often (but not always) indicate that their bearers originated in the northern Netherlands (Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Flevoland). The suffix '-nts', '-ntsen', and '-ntz' (originally from Latin 'natus') indicates that its bearer was the child of someone with the corresponding name that had this prefix.
The surname Wijnans is also present in countries with a strong Dutch influence, such as the United States, South Africa, and Canada. In some cases, the spelling may have changed slightly over the centuries and in different countries to form other spellings. For example, Dutch immigrants to the US often changed their names to accommodate the American pronunciation.
In addition, surnames often become changed due to migration, marriage, and other social changes over time. It is possible that persons whose ancestor once bore this surname may now have a different spelling or surname.
To sum up, Wijnans is a Dutch surname related to the personal name 'Wynant'. Its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include 'Wynants', 'Wyants', 'Wyantsen', 'Wijnants', 'Wijnantsen', 'Wijnand', 'Wijnands', 'Wijnandts', 'Wijnandtsen', 'Wijnantsz', 'Wijnantszen', 'Winand', 'Winands', 'Winandts', 'Winants', 'Winantsen', and 'Winantsz'. The surname is also present in other countries such as the US, South Africa, and Canada, where it may have slightly different spellings.
Famous people with the name Wijnans
- Frank Wijnans: Dutch soccer player
- Piet Wijnans: Dutch professional cyclist
- Rik Wijnans: Dutch balloonist and adventurer
- Kees Wijnans: Dutch journalist and historical researcher
- Dirk Wijnans: Dutch contemporary artist
- Catrien Wijnans: Dutch standard bearer of the Royal Netherlands Navy
- Lisa Wijnans: Dutch model
- Steven Wijnans: Dutch doctoral student of mathematics
- Ruud Wijnans: Dutch actor and comics artist
- Jos Wijnans: Dutch orienteering and cross-country skiing competitor