Surname Woitt - Meaning and Origin
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Woitt: What does the surname Woitt mean?
The last name Woitt is believed to be of German origin. It is derived from a personal name (or nickname) Woidt, which is a variation of the word "Wild". In the Middle Ages, the word Woidt (or Wild) was used to describe someone who was untamed or uncontrolled. This designation could have been applied to someone who had a wild or tempestuous personality, who was an outlaw, or who was a fierce fighter.
The Germanic personal name could have been used as a last name, or as a way to identify a person by their origin from a particular village or region. In some cases, the surname could have arisen from habitation, and refer to someone who resided near a forest or wild area. It could also have had the connotation of being a strong-willed or independent individual.
The phonetic form of the name, Woitt, was likely the result of immigration and language adaptation of Germans living in other areas of Europe. As certain pronunciation rules changed as people migrated, the name Woitt may have been adopted as the new pronunciation of the surname.
Today, the name continues to be found throughout Germany as well as many parts of Europe and the United States. It is widely believed to have originated as a German name, but its history and meaning has adapted over time.
Order DNA origin analysisWoitt: Where does the name Woitt come from?
The last name Woitt is not very common today, though it is mainly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In Germany, the majority of people bearing the last name live in the western part of the country, in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Dresden. In Austria, the last name mostly exists in the eastern part, particularly in the province of Styria. In Switzerland, the last name of Woitt is found mainly in the canton of Zurich.
Despite the relative spread, statistics show that the Woitt surname is quite rare. In 2020, it was the 25,507th most common surname in Germany, the 1,719th most popular surname in Austria, and the 3,410th most frequent surname in Switzerland. Bearing the last name is therefore a relatively uncommon occurrence.
Worldwide, the Woitt surname is estimated to be borne by fewer than 8500 people from diverse cultural backgrounds, as the name has spread across countries like France, England, and Italy. Taking this into account, the Woitt name is a relatively rare one where few people have it in common.
Variations of the surname Woitt
Woitt is an English surname of German origin, derived from the German personal name Wido or Widuno (from the Old High German Widu and Widin, meaning “fight” or “strife”). Variant spellings of Woitt include Waitte, Wotte, Vait, Vayt, Vayte, Waite and Vauht. Several surnames derived from the same Germanic personal name have also been documented, such as Wiod, Wyd, Wyet, Wird, Wyth, Wydt, Wydte and Watt.
The Woitt surname can also be found in several other countries, including Germany, where it has been recorded since the 13th century, and the United States, where it was first documented in the 17th century. In the United States, the spelling of the surname was often changed to fit the pronunciation of the given name, resulting in many variations. For example, the spelling of Waitte is sometimes seen as Wite or Wyatt, while Vait is sometimes found as Vay, Vey, or Voyt.
In addition to the aforementioned forms, Woitt is sometimes seen in different combinations with other surnames, such as Woitt-Tongate, Woitt-McClure or Woitt-Haas. Similarly, surnames derived from the same Germanic personal name are also sometimes seen combined with Woitt, such as Voigt-Woitt and Valt-Woitt.
Famous people with the name Woitt
- Ellis Woitt, an American soccer player.
- meg Woitt, a poet and singer-songwriter.
- Ted Woitt, an American former professional baseball player.
- Laura Woitt, a British singer and songwriter.
- David Woitt, an American literary critic and professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Charles Woitt, an American actor and writer.
- Bill Woitt, an American politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
- Matt Woitt, an American college basketball coach.
- Jonathan T Woitt, an American pediatrician.
- Jon Woitt, an American journalist and writer.
- Ab Woitt, an American musician and record producer.
- George Woitt, an English former professional footballer.
- Steve Woitt, an American basketball coach.
- Lola Woitt, a Canadian figure skater.
- Charles L Woitt, an English-American electrical engineer and aviator.
- Harold Woitt, an American soldier.
- Robin Woitt, an American novelist and storyteller.
- Steve Woitt, a former professional ice hockey player.
- Mary Woitt, an American songwriter and vocalist.
- Ken Woitt, a British writer and academic.