Surname Winands - Meaning and Origin
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Winands: What does the surname Winands mean?
The last name Winands is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the early medieval period. It is derived from the German word “winand” which means “a friend” or “a companion”. The earliest records of this surname date back to the 13th century and refer to a Winand Richer von Nürnberg who was a knight in Bavaria.
The name is most common in Germany and Austria, but is also found scattered throughout the world. In some cases, the name has been corrupted or anglicized to Wynands, Wynand, Wynan, Wynant, or even Wienandt.
The deeper one looks into the meaning of the surname, the more farreaching it becomes. The surname Winands may indicate someone who is both a trailblazer and a leader who people look to for guidance and counsel. They may be someone who is capable of taking on new challenges and motivating, inspiring and energizing those around them. People with this surname may share a common personality trait of being hardworking, determined and reliable. They may be the kind of person who sticks to their mission with unwavering commitment in the face of adversity or opposition.
In essence, someone with the surname Winands may be a person with strong character and a great sense of responsibility. Those who bare this name may offer a valuable resource to those in their family and community.
Order DNA origin analysisWinands: Where does the name Winands come from?
Today the last name Winands can be found throughout the world. The highest concentration of Winands people is in the Netherlands and Belgium, where the name is most likely to have originated. Additionally, there are large numbers of Winands people living in Germany, the United States and other European countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are very close geographically and could have potentially been the birthplace of the Winands surname. It is thought that the name may have originated from the Dutch and/or Flemish words for “win” meaning “to win” and “enda” meaning “to continue” or “to go on”. Therefore, it is likely that the surname was originally a personal name of an ancestor who was a winner or a victor in battle or other type of competition.
The surname has been recorded in Europe since early medieval times. However, the diaspora of Winands people following World War II saw the name spread to other countries, primarily in the Americas, with a significant number of Winands living in the United States today.
In the modern world, the name Winands is still most strongly associated with the Netherlands and Belgium. Nonetheless, the name is also relatively common throughout Europe and the US, as a result of emigration during the post-war period.
Variations of the surname Winands
The Winands surname has many variant spellings as well as other surnames from the same origin. Some of these are Wynants, Wynans, Wynands, Winan, Wynant, Wynand, Wend, Gwynands, Gwynans, Gwinans, Guinand, Guenand, Guenandt, Wannant, Wennes, Wyns, Wines, Shines, Shyns, Swinens, Schwenks, and Schwinens.
The original form of the surname Winands was Guinand. It was originally an old German name first found in the Lower Rhine area in Germany in the 12th century. It is thought that it was derived from the old Germanic given name 'Winant', or the Old High German personal name 'Wint' meaning 'Friend', and 'andi' meaning 'kinship'.
In the 1500s the surname Guinand was popularized and spread to France and Switzerland, anglicized to become 'Winands'. The variant spellings of the surname Winands began in the 1700s as the Winands surname spread across Europe.
The Netherlands is the primary location of the Winands families. Dutch spelling rules formalized the spelling as 'Wynands' in the early 1800s, and so this is the primary spelling form of the surname in the Netherlands.
In France, the variant spelling of the surname is 'Wynant', and the variant spellings of 'Gwynans' and 'Gwinans' are most common in England and Scotland. The variant spelling of 'Wyns' is mostly found in Belgium and in the German-speaking region, 'Wines' is more common, while 'Swinens' and 'Shines' are found in various parts of Germany and Austria.
Famous people with the name Winands
- Stacey Winands: American Paralympic swimmer who won four medals, primarily in the 100m freestyle, para-triathlon, and para-cycling events.
- Steve Winands: Former professional basketball player from the United States who had a stint in the Spanish league and was a member of the US national team.
- Jane Winands: Professional ballroom dancer who was a runner-up in the seventh season of the U.S. version of the show "Dancing with the Stars".
- Rebecca Winands: American Olympic sledge hockey player and member of Team USA.
- Elizabeth Winands: American artist who has, among other things, created a series of landscapes in oil, including pieces like "Refuge" and "The Abandoned Homestead".
- Mark Winands: Dutch computer scientist and professor of artificial intelligence and machine learning at Maastricht University.
- Fritz Winands: German football manager and former player, who currently works as the manager of the German Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach.
- Gary Winands: American actor, director, and producer who starred in the films "Happiness" and "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot".
- Richard Winands: American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who was part of the indie rock band Seapony.
- Michael Winands: American actor who is best known for his roles in television series such as "The Mindy Project" and "Grey's Anatomy".