Surname Wilich - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wilich: What does the surname Wilich mean?
The surname Wilich is of Germanic origin and means "leader of the people". It is believed to have started as a nickname derived from the Proto-Germanic name Vilja. This may indicate that the original bearer of the surname Wilich may have been a leader or chief of a tribe. Other possible explanations are that the surname derived from the first name of Wilhelms, which is derived from the German name Wilhelm (William).
The surname Wilich is additionally found in Poland and the Czech Republic. In Czech, it is spelled Vílíček / Vilíček and is derived from the Proto-CzechVílek (Vilek). In Poland, the surname is found as Wilich orWilkowski and comes from the first name Wilk (wolf).
The surname was first found in the 14th century, when Heinrich Wyleche is seen in the charters of Lüneburg in the year 1342. The earliest known person bearing the name was mentioned in an 11th century Bavarian document, when one Otto Wilic (aka Wolfhelm) was mentioned in 1086. Furthermore, one Tude Wilich was a witness in a Schwäbisch Hall document dated 1379.
The surname was mostly spread throughout the regions of Silesia, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. Also, there are Wilich families from Germany that migrated to the United States in the 19th century. Today, the surname is distributed throughout Germany and across the globe.
Order DNA origin analysisWilich: Where does the name Wilich come from?
The surname Wilich is an uncommon name that is believed to be of Germanic origin. Today, this surname is most commonly found in parts of Europe such as Austria, Poland and East Prussia. Wilich is also found in the United States, especially in the northern Midwest region, as these areas tend to have larger populations of Germanic decent.
Further extending to other parts of the world, Wilich can be found in parts of South America, such as Venezuela, as well as in the Philippines and parts of Australia.
The surname Wilich is most likely older in origin and is believed to have originated from the Germanic term “wiligo” which means “to will or to wish". This name could also potentially be derived from “wigi” which is an old German term for “protection".
In addition, the surname Wilich can be found as a variant, which is Wiliche, and is mostly found in Canada. This is due to the close proximity of Canada to Germany and the high number of immigrants from Germanic descent living in Canada.
Due to the sparse distribution of this surname, it is considered to be quite rare. In the United States, for example, it is estimated that only around 2000 people bear the name Wilich, with some estimates as low as 1000.
Variations of the surname Wilich
The surname Wilich is known to have many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Wilich is derived from the ancient Germanic personal name Wilhelm, meaning ‘strong willed’ or ‘desire’. This surname is thought to have originated in Germany, but has spread throughout many other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Austria, and Poland.
The most common variants of Wilich are Wilichs, Wiligs, Wilicks, Wilikas, Willigk, Wilkin, Wilkens, Wilkers, Wilcken, Wilckens, Wilchen, and Wilchinski. Surnames with the same origin as Wilich include Willemsen, Willems, Wilmes, Wilmoth, Wilmot, and Wilmott.
It is also possible to see variations in the spelling of the Wilich surname. One example is Wilicke, which is also common in various European countries. In the United States, this variant is generally spelled Wilich. Similarly, Wiligk is often converted to Wilgk.
Overall, Wilich is a surname that has many variants, spellings, and names of the same origin. The most common variants are Wilichs, Wiligs, Wilicks, Wilikas, Willigk, Wilkin, Wilkens, Wilkers, Wilcken, Wilckens, Wilchen, and Wilchinski. It can also take the form of Willemsen, Willems, Wilmes, Wilmoth, Wilmot, and Wilmott. Lastly, spelling variations such as Wilicke and Wilgk are also seen.
Famous people with the name Wilich
- Sybil Wilich: German actress, best known for her roles in television series such as Loopings and Tatort. She was born in 1962.
- Michael Wilich: Techno DJ and producer from Berlin, born in 1974. He is known for his intricate productions and remixes.
- Thilo Wilich: German novelist and children's author, born in 1972. He has written books such as Der Pinguinkönig and Wisdom Council.
- Olga Wilich: German singer, songwriter, and television presenter, born in 1967. She has released several solo albums and has been a popular TV host since 1997.
- Harry Wilich: Hollywood movie producer, best known for producing the films The Astronaut's Wife and Man on the Moon. He was born in 1956.
- Arne Wilich: German graphic designer and illustrator, born in 1965. His work has been featured in publications such as Neue Grafik and Tagesspiegel.
- Verena Wilich: German journalist, best known for her work as a columnist at Bild.de. She was born in 1971.
- Angelo Wilich: Swiss violinist, composer, and conductor, born in 1975. He is the founder and music director of the Tonhalle ensemble Zurcher Philharmoniker.
- Jörg Wilich: German politician and the former mayor of North Rhine-Westphalia. He was born in 1978.
- Petra Wilich: German actress and television presenter, best known for her roles in television series such as The Red Pill and Der Bergdoktor. She was born in 1969.