Surname Wucherpfennig - Meaning and Origin

Wucherpfennig: What does the surname Wucherpfennig mean?

The last name Wucherpfennig is an Old Germanic name originally derived from the Middle High German phrase "wucher" and "pfennig" which literally translates to "small money trader". It likely denotes someone who has a profession related to handling money or who runs a business dealing in financial transactions.

The surname first appeared in records in the 13th century in Northern Europe, primarily in Germany and the Netherlands. Over time, the surname evolved and spread throughout Europe and other parts of the world as individuals bearing the name migrated and settled.

Today, Wucherpfennig is one of the more common last names in Germany and the Netherlands, and can be seen in some parts of the United States and Canada as a result of immigration.

The surname Wucherpfennig typically conjures images of a savvy businessperson or someone with financial acumen or abilities. It is a reminder that there is often more to a name than meets the eye, for the name itself can tell a story about the history and background of a family.

Wucherpfennig: Where does the name Wucherpfennig come from?

The last name Wucherpfennig is most commonly found in Germany today. The majority of individuals with the surname Wucherpfennig live in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with other large numbers of individuals living in Lower Saxony and Bavaria. Additionally, smaller numbers of Wucherpfennig are found in other parts of Germany. This surname is also known to be found in Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, but in much smaller numbers.

The name Wucherpfennig generally originates from a nickname, referring to a person who either sold or used coins for money-lending. The German word Wucher translates to “usury” or “extortionate interest”, and Pfennig translates to “coin”. This name was used to denote someone who loaned money and was likely a reference to a person’s career.

In Germany today, the Wucherpfennig name is thought to have originated in 1597 or 1598. This surname is an uncommon one, and it is estimated that less than 1,000 individuals carry this last name in Germany.

The Wucherpfennig name can also be found in the United States. The first Wucherpfennig in the United States was Johann Christian Wucherpfennig, who arrived in Baltimore in 1872. Since then, multiple individuals and families featuring the name Wucherpfennig have settled in other areas of the United States, in particular in areas which have a strong German heritage, such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Variations of the surname Wucherpfennig

The surname Wucherpfennig has many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Wucherpfennig is a German surname originating from the Middle High German word "wucher" meaning "usury" or "interest". Wucherpfennig is also the Anglicised spelling of this surname.

Variants of this surname include Wucherpfenning, Wucherberenning, Wuthersfeining, Vuthersfeining, and Wuchersfeining. Other similar surnames of German origin include Wuccherbrenning, Wuchterpfeinig, Wuchterbrenning, Wuchterpronig, and Wuchtersfeining.

Variant spellings of the name Wucherpfennig include Wucherpfenning, Wuucherpfenning, Wuuthersfeining, Wuuthersfeening, Wuthersfeining, Wuctersfeining, Wuchtersfeining, Wuchgersfeining, Wuchperfennig, Wuchperfenning, Wuchtperfining, Wuchtpfenning, Wuchturpfennig, and Wuchturpfenning.

Other surnames derived from "wucher" include Wucker, Wucke, Wuckerbrenner, Wuchterenig, Wuckerfening, Wuckerenning, and Wuckerenig.

In conclusion, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin as the surname Wucherpfennig. These include Wucherpfenning,Wucherberenning, Wuthersfeining, Vuthersfeining, Wuchersfeining, Wuccherbrenning, Wuchterpfeinig, Wuchterbrenning, Wuchterpronig, and Wuchtersfeining. Variant spellings for the name Wucherpfennig include Wucherpfenning, Wuucherpfenning, Wuuthersfeining, Wuuthersfeening, Wuthersfeining, Wuctersfeining, Wuchtersfeining, Wuchgersfeining, Wuchperfennig, Wuchperfenning, Wuchtperfining, Wuchtpfenning, Wuchturpfennig, and Wuchturpfenning. Other surnames derived from “wucher” include Wucker, Wucke, Wuckerbrenner, Wuchterenig, Wuckerfening, Wuckerenning, and Wuckerenig.

Famous people with the name Wucherpfennig

• Lida Wucherpfennig: an Olympic gold medalist from 1964 for table tennis;
• Carl Wucherpfennig: a German actor known for his roles in films such as Manta, Manta and the 1994 German TV mini-series Der Schweiger;
• Friedrich Wucherpfennig: a German classical composer;
• Alexander Wucherpfennig: an Austrian artist known for his sculptures and public works;
• Olaf Wucherpfennig: a German abstract painter active in Berlin;
• Ralph Wucherpfennig: a German artist and sculptor;
• Auguste Wucherpfennig: an artist and sculptor from the late 19th century;
• Wilhelmine Wucherpfennig: a German sculptor active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries;
• Gunter Wucherpfennig: a German chess grandmaster;
• Kurt Wucherpfennig: a German structural engineer and architect active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Other surnames

Wucherpfenning