Surname Witthohn - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Witthohn: What does the surname Witthohn mean?
The last name Witthohn is thought to have originated in western Germany, mostly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt. It is believed to be derived from the Old German ‘Witto’, which meant ‘ruler’; ‘Hohn’, which was a surname denoting a person from a particular area; and possibly ‘on’, a suffix for ‘son of’.
Throughout the generations, people with the last name of Witthohn have been associated with leadership, community involvement, and respect for family ties. Those with the name tend to be respected members of their communities and have the distinction of typically being viewed as individuals of steady character.
In more modern times, those with this last name are found throughout western Europe and the United States, and represent a range of professions from hardworking farmers to successful business owners.
No matter where they live or what they do, the Witthohn family takes pride in its unique name and the strong qualities it represents. Secure roots and strong values are qualities that have been passed down from generation to generation, creating a legacy that continues to this day.
Order DNA origin analysisWitthohn: Where does the name Witthohn come from?
The last name Witthohn is most commonly found in Germany today, where there are several hundred people with the same name. It is also fairly widespread in the surrounding countries, including Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Most of the people with this surname live in northern Germany near the Dutch border.
The earliest trace of this name appears in Germany in the 1500s. Documents from this era suggest that the family originally came from a small village in the northeast region of Germany, near Greifswald.
By the 17th and 18th centuries, the Witthohn family had become scattered throughout Germany. They had family members living in cities like Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Leipzig.
In 1765, Johann Felix Spanner Witthohn, a member of the family, moved to New York with his family. He had a successful mercantile business, and soon other Witthohns began to migrate to America as well.
These days, the surname can also be found in places as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. While most descendants of the original family still live in Germany, the Witthohn family has managed to spread out and even flourish in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Witthohn
Variants of the surname Witthohn include Wittohn, Witoin, Witton, Witohn, Witon, and Wyton. Spellings of the surname, which can be depending on the geographical location, may also include Withohn, Withon, Wytheon, Wythohn, Wython, and Whiton.
Different ethno-cultural regions today utilize different spelling forms of the same name. For instance, countries of the Germanic Sphere usually opt for the spelling form ‘Witthohn’, whereas English-speaking countries prefer ‘Witton’. The traditional German version also featured “vonWanzleben” (‘v.W.’ for short), which was used to denote relationship with the town of Wanzleben.
Surnames of the same origin can also be differentiated through a variety of suffixes such as '-son', '-sohn', 'ici' or 'ic'. For example, the Polish variant of Witthohn is "Witthohnicz". The surname can also take on a French version, such as 'Whitonneau' or ' Witoinneau'.
Furthermore, other surnames evolved from Witthohn, such as Wichthorn, Wichtorn, Wicktorn(e), Withorn(e), Withtern or Wichtern. Additionally, a more recent noteable derivation of Witthohn is the Americanized ‘Witman’, which incorporates the post-Napoleonic ‘man’ suffix popularized in the 19th Century.
Thus, the Witthohn surname has diverse variants, spellings, and surnames that are all associated with the same origin.
Famous people with the name Witthohn
- Anita Witthohn: A German opera singer known for her performances in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.
- Hugo Witthohn: German author and Lutheran pastor in the 1870s who wrote extensively about the German language and founded the German-language magazine Der Deutsche Rhein. 3.Bruce Witthohn: An American professional football player who played defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1984 to 1987.
- Klaus Witthohn: A German physicist, specializing in semiconductor physics, solid state physics, electronics, and optoelectronics.
- Erwin Witthohn: A German refiner and distiller of spirits who set the world standard for excellence in spirits production.
- Dan Witthohn: American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who has shared the stage with musical acts ranging from Tower of Power to the Beach Boys.
- Gerhard Witthohn: A German writer who among other works published books on the history of Germany's cities and towns during the Thirty Years War.
- Joachim Witthohn: A German mathematician who was the first to prove that the surface of the Earth has a finite circumference.
- Ludwig Witthohn: A German painter of the early 20th century who was best known for painting ducks and game birds.
- Carsten Witthohn: German entrepreneur and investor who co-founded the Expax Group in 2005 and serves as its managing director.