Surname Würfflein - Meaning and Origin
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Würfflein: What does the surname Würfflein mean?
The last name Würfflein is a German name that originates from Middle High German. It is a combination of two words: würf, which means dice, and flein, which means small. Thus, it translates to "small dice.” This surname was usually given to someone whose occupation had to do with gaming or gambling, as typically it was associated with someone who was in charge of rolling dice or participating in board games.
Geographically, this family name is most commonly found in the east and south-eastern areas of Germany, particularly Bavaria and the Alsace region. It is also popular in Austria, Switzerland, and the United States, due to immigrants travelling there in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Variants of the surname include Werffelin, Werfflein, Wuerffel, Wuertfflein, Wuerffelin, Wuertfflen, and Wuerfflen.
Today, the name Würfflein is still widely recognized and used in Germany, among other countries. Its history still remains strongly connected and associated with its original meaning. While to some it is a link to their past, to others it is a reminder of the impact and magnitude of tradition and heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisWürfflein: Where does the name Würfflein come from?
The surname Würfflein is a German family name, which means "little wolf". It is most commonly found in areas of Germany and Austria as well as some other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
In Germany, the Würfflein surname is most common in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Bavaria. It is also present in Saxony, Berlin and North-Rhine Westphalia in lesser numbers. In Austria, Vienna is the canton with the highest concentration of Würffleins.
Having originated in these areas, the Würfflein surname has spread to countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and the Czech Republic all have some Würffleins living within their borders.
It is also possible that some families with the Würfflein surname have emigrated from their homeland and settled elsewhere. Würffleins can be found living in countries such as the USA, Canada, France, Spain, Australia and South Africa.
The Würfflein name is also seen among Jewish families, particularly in Germany, Austria and Poland. This suggests that some of these families adopted the Würfflein surname following arrival in Central or Eastern Europe, or took on the name through intermarriage with non-Jewish Würffleins.
The Würfflein surname is still quite common today, particularly in Germany and Austria. It is also present in parts of throughout Central and Eastern Europe, as well as among those individuals and families who have migrated from their homelands to other countries.
Variations of the surname Würfflein
The Würfflein surname is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is derived from a Middle High German word meaning “little village” or “little place.” It experience a lot of different spellings in old German manuscripts including Warffen, Waerffel, Wurfel, Wuerfel, and Wurffel.
Variant spellings of Würfflein are often found in the United States as well. Common spellings include Warffel, Warfel, Wurfel, Werfel, Wurflin, Warflin, Wurfflin, Werflin, Warfflin, Hauffling, Warplayer, and Waeffelin. Some, although not all, variants remain close to the original German spelling, with the same pronunciations.
The Würfflein surname is also known to have some variations in spelling. For example, the Würfflein family of Hamburg in Germany appears as Verflin in the Hamburg Church registry while the Würfflein family from the German state Saxony use the spelling Warflin.
Additionally, some families have Anglicized the spelling to Worfel, Warfield, or Warfield, with families of this spelling mainly being located in the United States. It was also noted in some records of the 18th century to have found the spelling of Woorfield. Rarely the name Würfflein is seen spelled as Worffle, which has been found in records of some British families.
Finally, surname has some variants which are considered variants of Würfflein, like Warfling, Worpling, and Wårpling, as these names were originally collected in relation to the Würfflein family name.
Famous people with the name Würfflein
- Dieter Würfflein (b. 1965), German ski jumper
- Yannick Würfflein (b. 1985), French footballer
- Karl Würfflein (b. 1903), German Olympic circuit horse rider
- Erhard Würfflein (b. 1968), German footballer
- Jennifer Würfflein, American politician, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Konrad Würfflein (1877-1927), German philosopher and politician
- Joachim Würfflein (b. 1971), German Olympic race walker
- Fritz Würfflein (1899-1971), German Olympic shooter
- Seraphina Würfflein, German operatic soprano
- Wolfgang Würfflein (1933-2012), German Olympic equestrian show jumper
- Jens Würfflein (b. 1965), German Olympic cyclist
- Jörg Würfflein (b. 1970), German footballer
- Mario Würfflein (b. 1977), German Olympic bobsleigh pilot
- Philip Würfflein (b. 1948), German drag racing driver
- Günther Würfflein (b. 1939), German racing cyclist
- Ignaz Würfflein (1680-1732), German artist