Surname Wehking - Meaning and Origin

Wehking: What does the surname Wehking mean?

The last name Wehking is of German origin, derived from the German personal name “Wehke”. This name is derived from the German word “weh”, which means sorrowful or sad. It is believed that the name originally referred to a place of weeping or mourning. The surname Wehking could also have derived from the words “Wehe” or “Wehen”, which refer to a sorrowful lament or a loud wailing sound.

The name Wehking may also have originated as a military title. In German feudal law, a Wehk was a guard or protector of a fortification, castle or city wall. Later, the name became a hereditary title. In some cases, it could also refer to a mayor or member of a municipal council or government.

The Wehking name is said to have first appeared in Europe around the 16th century, during the Reformation. At this time, many German families adopted Catholic surnames as their own and the Wehking name was among them.

Today, the Wehking name is still common in Germany and Europe. It is also found in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States. There are a few variations in spelling of the Wehking name, such as Wechking and Wehkink.

Wehking: Where does the name Wehking come from?

The Wehking surname is of German origin and has its historical roots in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The inhabitants of the region spoke a dialect called Low Saxon, and the surname is likely derived from the Low Saxon word “wehken”, which possibly means “building” or “farm”.

The Wehking surname remains fairly common in Germany today, especially in Schleswig-Holstein. It is also found in other areas of Germany, including Hessen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, and Niedersachsen. In the United States, the Wehking surname is much rarer, though it is still present in mostly Germanic states, such as Arkansas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Michigan.

Immigration records show the earliest Wehking immigrants to America came from Germany in 1854, with many more arriving in the decades that followed. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, German immigrants made up the largest ethnic group in the United States, and the Wehking name can be found amongst them.

Though the Wehking surname is less common in the United States today, the family name still lives on through its descendants and many of its original descendants are still living in the same cities and towns they settled in centuries ago. Additionally, the name Wehking remains strong in its native Germany and a quick search will bring up many Wehking families in its history.

Variations of the surname Wehking

The surname Wehking is believed to have originated from the Germanic region of Northern Europe. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin are Wehkink, Wehikink, Wekin, Weiken, Wehken, Wehkenk, Wehkingen, Weching, Webking, Wieking, Wieken, Wickin, Wickinke, Wyking, Wyken, Wykenk, Wykingen, and Wyching.

Wehking and its many derivatives are likely derived from the Germanic personal name Wicho. Wicho is thought to have been derived from the elements “wig,” meaning “war,” and “hard,” meaning “hardy” or “brave.” The personal name Wicho is recorded in the Latin form of Wicho in the 8th-century Germanic monk and historian Gregory of Tours, which indicates that it was in use during the pre-Christian era in Germanic Europe.

It is possible that the name Wehking has its origins in regional dialects or in the German regions of Bavaria or Saxony, surnames which have mutated over time while still maintaining their original meaning. The earliest recorded variants of the Wehking surname in Germany are found in the 17th century, indicating that the Wehking surname was prominent well before the Middle Ages.

The spread of the Wehking surname throughout Europe and the United States, including the variant spellings and surnames of the same origin, is likely due to the wave of German immigrants who moved to these countries in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Famous people with the name Wehking

• Brenda Wehking: American volleyball player, winner of several Olympic medals and head coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
• Fritz Wehking: German cinematographer who won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for The Bride of Glomdal in 1936.
• Mindy Wehking: Former American track and field athlete who won gold medals at the Pan American Games and World Championships.
• Sissy Wehking: German actress who has appeared in numerous films and television shows, most notably in the German-language series Der Fahnder.
• Matthias Wehking: Austrian-born German classical organist and professor of organ at the Vienna Conservatory, having a great impact on twentieth-century organ music.
• Stefan Wehking: German composer and arranger of band music, contemporary classical music, jazz and popular music.
• Tina Wehking: American illustrator known for her children's books, which have won multiple awards.
• Werner Wehking: German organist, composer and author of several composed works and organ studies on various organ techniques.
• Kurt Wehking: German entomologist, best known for his work on the taxonomy of the horseshoe crab.
• Georg Wehking: German photographer known for his documentary works exploring the themes of human rights, war, and conflict.

Other surnames

Wehkind