Surname Wisham - Meaning and Origin

Wisham: What does the surname Wisham mean?

The last name Wisham is of English origin, and is derived from the surname Wiseman. The name originally indicated a wise or learned man. It can be thought of as being derived from the Middle English, Anglo-Norman French, and Old French wis, wiseman, and wisemann, which all mean wise or learned man.

In some cases, the name Wisham may have instead been derived from an Old English personal name, Wisa. This personal name was composed of the Old English elements wis, which meant "wise," or wita, which meant "wise man, counselor," and the suffix -mann. While the surname Wiseman is more commonly found in England, Wisham can be found in the US as well, particularly in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas.

The meaning of the surname Wisham can be interpreted as a wise or learned man, or one who is respected for their intelligence and intelligence-related abilities. Such a person would be expected to play a valuable role in their family or community with their knowledge and insights. In some cases, it could be possible that a family used the name to honor someone who was wise or respected for their intelligence and abilities.

Wisham: Where does the name Wisham come from?

The last name Wisham is quite common throughout the United States, with the highest concentrations found in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, Virginia, and Texas.

In the 1950s, Wisham's peak of popularity was reached; since then, it has gradually declined in frequency as other surnames have become more popular.

The origin of the name Wisham is unknown, and there are several theories. Some researchers believe that it is derived from the Anglo Saxon or Old English word “wysceam” (wish+ham); others suggest it may be an Americanized spelling of the Germanic-derived “Wischam”.

The largest population of Wishams today is found in the small town of Batavia, Illinois, which has around 1,500 people with the surname. Other concentrations of Wishams are found in the cities of Indianapois, Indiana; Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; and Cleveland, Ohio.

Most Wishams today are of English descent, but the name has also been found to be of German or Irish origin. To this day, the Wisham surname is still considered to be a fairly common name among English-speaking families in the United States.

Variations of the surname Wisham

The surname Wisham has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Wishall, Wyshall, Wicheam, Wickenham, Wiseman, Wyshman, Wisam and Wisenam.

Wisham is thought to originate from the English and Scottish Border regions. It is derived from the given name Wisc, which is a dialectal short form of the name Wiseman, which in turn comes from the original Old English personal name Wigbeald. Wigbeald is believed to be composed of the elements "wig" meaning warfare and "beald" meaning bold.

The variant Wishall is believed to derive from the Anglicized form of the Irish name Walsh. This is an old Irish surname derived from the personal name Breathnach which means Welshman. The surname Walsh was common in both Ireland and England. In England, the variant Wyshall (sometimes spelt Wixall) is thought to be associated with the Welsh name Gough, meaning 'fan', and was used to describe someone who was a fan maker.

Wicheam, Wickenham and Wiseman all derive from the Old English personal name Wigbeald. Similarly, Wyshman, Wisam and Wisenam all include the 'Wis' element which is derived from the same Old English personal name. The word 'man' is used in each of these spellings to distinguish a man from a woman.

The surname Wisham is thought to be associated with the 11th century Norman family of De Esthal (from Esthalle, near Blayney, France) who also had a branch in Scotland. It appears this name evolved into the variants Wisham, Wishall and Wyshall over time.

Overall, the surname Wisham has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Wishall, Wyshall, Wicheam, Wickenham, Wiseman, Wyshman, Wisam and Wisenam, all of which can be traced back to the Old English personal name Wigbeald.

Famous people with the name Wisham

• Brandin Wisham: He is a professional basketball player who has been playing since 2010. He is currently signed with the NBA G League's Hills instructed Heat.
• Dona K Wisham: Dona is a multi-award-winning songwriter and producer who has worked with some of the biggest stars in the music industry, including Justin Timberlake and Nas.
• Heather Wisham: Heather is an award-winning chef and author. She is well known for her delicious American and Hispanic cuisine. She is the executive chef for the National Football League.
• Sarah Wisham: Sarah is an American actress, best known for her role in the horror movie "Insidious". She has also had recurring roles on television shows like "3rd Rock From The Sun" and "Castle".
• Greg Wisham: Greg is a former NFL football player. He is the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State University.
• Eric Wisham: Eric is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has written a number of novels about the American war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Tracy Wisham: Tracy is an entrepreneur and investor who has been involved in a number of startups. She is also an author who focuses on entrepreneurship and personal development.
• Lynne Wisham: Lynne is an American artist who specializes in oil painting. She has held numerous exhibitions around the world.
• Chay Wisham: Chay is an author and motivational speaker who focuses on leadership development. He has authored two books and was recently featured in the documentary Unstoppable.
• John Wisham: John is a Canadian composer whose music has been featured in several Hollywood films, including "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Gravity".

Other surnames

WishardWishart