Surname Wasserman - Meaning and Origin
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Wasserman: What does the surname Wasserman mean?
Wasserman is a German-Jewish surname that translates directly to "water man" in English. The name could have been originally bestowed as an occupational surname for someone who lived or worked near water, such as a fisherman, boatman, or a person who fetched water for households. Alternatively, it could have also denoted someone who was in charge of the town's water supply or lived by a significant water landmark, like a lake, river, or well. The name is fairly common in Germany and among Ashkenazi Jewish communities. As with most surnames, there may be varied interpretations and origins, depending on the specific historical and geographical context. Overall, the name Wasserman reflects a connection with water, in either a professional or residential capacity.
Order DNA origin analysisWasserman: Where does the name Wasserman come from?
The surname Wasserman is generally regarded as an Ashkenazic Jewish surname, which is a population of Jews from Central and Northern Europe. It is most commonly found throughout regions of Eastern Europe, especially Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. This is because most of the people who adopted the Wasserman surname were Jewish immigrants who settled in this area between the 16th and 19th centuries.
More recently, people with the Wasserman surname can be found in the United States, Israel, France, and Argentina. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are more than 2,000 people bearing this surname. A majority of them live in states like New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida.
A large part of the Jewish population in the United States today is descended from Eastern European immigrants, with the Wasserman surname likely being passed on through these individuals. It also has to be noted that it is quite popular amongst the Jewish community, who tend to marry within their own population and pass on their family names.
This is likely to be the case for many last names among the Jewish population, with Wasserman — as an Ashkenazic Jewish surname — being one of the most common of them all.
Variations of the surname Wasserman
The surname Wasserman has many different variants and spellings, all of which have the same origin. The most common variation is Wassermann, which is used mainly throughout Germany. In the United States, the most common spelling is Wasserman. Another common variation is Vasserman, which can be found in Russia and other parts of East Europe.
Other spelling variations for the surname Wasserman include Waserman, Nusserman, Wassirma, Vasserma, and Wasserman. Other surnames of similar origin include Wassermannox, Wassermany, Vassermand, Vassermon, Wassmann, and Vcurrenton.
The surname Wasserman is derived from the Middle High German term “wasser” meaning “water” and “mann,” which translates to “man.” During the medieval period, the surname indicated that a person was responsible for maintaining the waterways or canals for the town or village. It may also indicate water-bearing duties that were associated with river men or canal workers.
In addition to these variants, there are some surnames that are similar to Wasserman. Some of these include Wassermiller, Wassersleben, Wasserzug, and Wasserburger. Each of these surnames may have been derived from a different region or from a different context, but they are all ultimately based on the idea of working with water in some way.
The main point to note about the surname Wasserman is that it has many different variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin, all of which have the same root.
Famous people with the name Wasserman
- Robbie Wasserman: Singer/Songwriter and former member of American alt-rock band Phantom Planet.
- David Wasserman: American political analyst and U.S. House editor for the Cook Political Report.
- Lew Wasserman: American talent agent and studio executive who was influential in the development of the American entertainment industry.
- Ed Wasserman: The Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley.
- Debra Wasserman: American cookbook writer and vegan cooking instructor.
- Steven Wasserman: Canadian-American lawyer and formerly Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
- Theodore Wasserman: German-Canadian diplomat and the Canadian Ambassador to Poland.
- Cyrus Wasserman: American gravestone carver and Jewish iconographer.
- Stan Wasserman: American mathematician and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Mark Wasserman: American fashion designer, founder of the fashion brand Juicy Couture.