Surname Wehrt - Meaning and Origin
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Wehrt: What does the surname Wehrt mean?
The surname Wehrt is of German origin and means “guard,” “watchman,” or “defender.” It is derived from a Middle High German word “wehren,” which means “to guard,” “protect” or “defend.” It first appears in documents in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, indicating it was a fairly common name in Germany at the time.
People with the surname Wehrt were most likely to have been involved in some form of defense or protection. This could have included being in the military, police service, or protecting businesses or private property. It may also have been used for those involved in legal matters such as a judge or lawyer.
The surname Wehrt has also been used by people migrating to other countries, including the United States. In some cases, the meaning has been changed to “Ward,” as it sounds similar in English. In other cases, the spelling has been changed to Whert or Werth.
The surname Wehrt has been in use for many centuries and is still found in many places around the world today. It serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting those we care about and of our past.
Order DNA origin analysisWehrt: Where does the name Wehrt come from?
The last name Wehrt is a German surname that is most common today in Northern and Central Germany. The name Wehrt originated from Bavaria, located in the southern region of central Germany, and is thought to have arisen in the late medieval period.
The Wehrt surname is heavily concentrated in the states of Bavaria, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt. It is also present in the rest of Germany, as well as Austria and Czech Republic. The highest concentrations of the Wehrt surname are in parts of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, close to the Harz mountains and in the state of Saxony near the Czech border.
The Wehrt surname is also common in parts of North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Belize. It is thought the name spread to these countries with emigrants from Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is typically written and pronounced slightly differently in different countries, although it always originates from the same root.
The Wehrt surname is considered a patronymic name derived from the German word “wahr,” meaning “true” or “trustworthy.” The name likely refers to the characteristic of the persons bearing it. The Wehrt family motto is Be True, referring to this original meaning, emphasizing the need for honesty and consistency towards family and friends.
Variations of the surname Wehrt
The surname Wehrt has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. All of these names are German in origin, indicating that the family likely originated from Germany.
Variations of Wehrt include: Wehrt, Wehrte, Wehrtt, Werdt, Werdte, Werrdt, Werrdte, Virdt, and Virdte.
The German spelling of Wehrt is Währt or Währte. In Dutch honorific spelling, the surname is spelled “de Wehrdt.”
Other surnames of the same origin include: Wehrs, Werds, Wersts, Werzs, Werts, Werths, Werdy, Wierds, Wiers, Wirsts, Wirts, and Wirzs.
Wehrt may also have evolved as a Germanized or anglicized version of foreign surnames. Some of these include: Wexler (from “Wexl”), Weishaupt (from “Weishaufen”), Winkler (from “Winkl”), Weers (from “Waer”), and Weber (from “Weber”).
Finally, some derivatives of the Wehrt surname include: Wehrtman, Wehrtmuller, Wehrtshausen, Wehrtlein, Wehrtberg, Wehrtbauer, Wehrtenfüller, and Wehrtmann.
Famous people with the name Wehrt
- Ernst Wehrt (German actor and writer)
- Ludwig Wehrt (German philologist of the 18th century)
- Hermann Wehrt (German military officer and communist leader of the 1920s)
- Wilhelm Wehrt (German astronomer, physicist and instrument maker during the 1800s)
- Karl Wehrt (German painter)
- Justus Wehrt (German neo-romantic painter)
- Leopold Wehrt (German entomologist and paleontologist of the 19th century)
- Werner Wehrt (German neurologist and anatomist of the 19th century)
- Herbert Wehrt (German architect and urban planner of the 20th century)
- Adam Wehrt (American football player)