Surname Viderspan - Meaning and Origin
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Viderspan: What does the surname Viderspan mean?
The last name Viderspan is derived from Jewish Ashkenazic roots and is found in several countries throughout Europe. The literal translation of Viderspan is "spanning the wide terrain", alluding to a figuratively vast expanse. It is thought to have originally been a nickname for someone who lived in, or was from, an area known for its wide spaces.
Viderspan is believed to be a combination of two words in Yiddish, "vi" and "derspan", which together mean "wide". Early bearers of the name may have used that meaning to inspire or suggest their choice of surname.
A common Jewish style of naming is to use one's father's first name as a surname, and thus the name Viderspan may have meant simply "the father of the wide expanse". This indicates that the original bearer of the Viderspan name may have come from a wide area, such as the open pastures of a large expanse of land.
Having such a name would have been a reminder to the original Viderspan family members of the open space to which they possessed, giving the name a power and identity beyond just a single individual or area.
There is no modern day equivalent to the name Viderspan, as it is considered a rare and unique surname. The Viderspan family today is considered small, though it is likely that its members can be found in a number of regions.
Order DNA origin analysisViderspan: Where does the name Viderspan come from?
The last name Viderspan is primarily found in the United States and Canada today.
The origin of the last name Viderspan is unclear, however, it is believed to have originated in Germany, either in Prussia or Schleswig-Holstein. It is also possible that the name of Viderspan has its origins in the Dutch language, in which the word 'vider' translates to 'empty'.
In the United States, the last name Viderspan is most commonly associated with Pennsylvania and New York. Pennsylvania is home to the highest number of people sharing the last name, with the name being particularly concentrated in the boroughs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as in Lancaster and York Counties. Furthermore, the name can also be found throughout New York State, including the boroughs of New York City and Long Island.
When looking further afield, the last name Viderspan is also found in Canada, particularly in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
It is also possible to find other variants of the surname such as Van Derspan, Viderhop, and Venderspan, all of which originated in the same area in Germany. However, the name Viderspan remains the most popular variation of the name today.
Variations of the surname Viderspan
The spelling and variants of the surname Viderspan can be traced back to Old Provençal, an area located in the South of France, as well as Catalonia in Spain and other parts of the Mediterranean. Some of these variants are Viders, Videras, Videra, Videro, Viderón, Viderspang, Viderans, Viderang, Vidraes, Vidras, Vidersang, Vyderas, Vyders, Vidҫans, Vidҫang, Veeder as well as Vyderspan.
The original spelling of the surname is Viderspan; however, as the surname evolved, there were variations in spelling which included diacritics (accent or stress marks) along with the addition and subtraction of letters within the surname.
Variants of the surname were created due to the various languages spoken in the region at the time. One example is the Catalan spelling of the name, Vyderspan—originally Viderspan—which was pronounced in the Catalan language. Many languages spoken in Southern Europe—such as Portuguese and Spanish—have also influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.
Within the region of Old Provence, the surname can also be found spelled Vidlerspan, Vilderspan, Vildorpan, and Volderspan. As the surname passed through immigration, it took different shapes and spellings such as Vilderspahn, Vilderspan, Vilderspangh, Volderspahn, Volderspan, and Volderspangh. In the United States, the name Viderspan occasionally appears as Viederspan and other creative spellings.
Surname variants of Viderspan have arisen out of necessity and phonetic preference, as well as cultural contexts and language influences. Regardless of the spelling, the origin remains the same.
Famous people with the name Viderspan
- Bela Viderspan, actor.
- Joe Viderspan, former NFL lineman.
- Red Viderspan, professional wrestler.
- Robert Viderspan, Canadian professional lacrosse player.
- Han Viderspan, Canadian long-distance runner.
- John Viderspan, American professional baseball player.
- Boyce Viderspan, South African theatre actress and director.
- Martin Viderspan, Austrian politician.
- Jenny Viderspan, Swedish author.
- Brian Viderspan, Canadian professional ice hockey player.