Surname Deweess - Meaning and Origin

Deweess: What does the surname Deweess mean?

The last name Deweess is an old surname of German and French origin. It is thought to have derived from either the French word “deve” which means to tend, or from the German word “weise” which means ‘wise’.

The first recorded uses of this name date back to the 13th century in what is now Poland. In those times, families and individuals seeking to identify themselves among their contemporaries often adopting a given name or ‘byname.’ It is thought that it was initially adopted by a family who were herding sheep and livestock and so ‘Deweess’ came to represent that individual or that family.

In more recent times, this surname has spread throughout the world, and has been documented in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and even India. It is now used by people who come from very diverse backgrounds, suggesting that it has come to be a more global surname over time.

No matter the origin or the geography, the name Deweess is an interesting piece of history and continues to be carried by families. It has been adopted as a name that is known to bring a sense of stability and strength to a family, acting as a reminder of their roots and the path they have taken.

Deweess: Where does the name Deweess come from?

The surname Deweess is most commonly found in England, particularly in the south-east. It is also present in other parts of Europe, particularly France and Germany. In the United States, the surname is estimated to be most common in Virginia, though it is present in multiple states throughout the country, including California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington.

In England, records suggest that the name Deweess is derived from people who originally lived in and around Deux Metz, a district near Le Havre in Normandy, France. This area is now part of the Seine-Maritime department. Records from this area suggest that the first known bearers of the surname Deweess were ancestors of an individual known as Geoffroy de Wees, believed to have been born around 1165.

The use of the name in France declined over time and was replaced with variations such as Deveau and Deveaux, though those variants are still fairly common today, particularly in areas surrounding Le Havre and other parts of Normandy. In addition to the French variants, there are also Dutch and German equivalents, which are quite rare outside Europe.

In the United States, many individuals with the surname Deweess may be of American Indian, English, and Irish descent. Others may be descended from African slaves who were given the surname. As the name has spread throughout the country, it has become less common in some areas but is still present among some families.

Variations of the surname Deweess

The surname Deweess is an uncommon variation of the more common Anglicized spelling of the Irish surname "Dwyer", which is believed to derive from the old Gaelic "O’Duibhir." The wide array of spellings and variants of this name includes Dwire, Dwire, Dwier, Dwyer, Dywer, Dwer, Duwer, DeWeer, DeWeirs, DeWees, Dewers, Deweeks, DeWeess, O’Dwyer, Dwyer, and also O’Duibhir.

In the United States there are many variations of the family’s surname, but the most common variants are Dwyer, Dywer, DeWeer and DeWeess. In other parts of the world, the surname is spelled Duwor, Dewori, and Dwer.

The Dwyer name has been in existence for centuries and is associated with Irish royalty. The Dwyers trace their ancestry back to the ancient Gaelic kingdoms of Ui Caisin and Ui Failghe. It is believed that the family descends from the kings of the ancient Dal gCais tribe. The surname is found in many parts of Ireland but most in counties Kerry and Tipperary. It is also particularly common in the US and in the UK.

No matter the spelling, it is likely that most people with this surname share common ancestry from the same ancient Irish lineage. The variants are just one example of the way that language, place, and time can cause the same name to evolve and take on many different spellings.

Famous people with the name Deweess

• Jim Dewees: musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist
• Russell Deweese: former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Nancy Deweese: American actress
• Ambrosius de Weese: Dutch painter
• George Deweese: American writer, musicologist and composer
• Margaret Ann Deweese: 19th century American author and lecturer
• Edward Andrew Deweese, Sr.: American politician
• Jacob M. Deweese: American soldier and politician
• Larry Deweese: American Grammy Award-winning vocalist, musician and songwriter
• Harold Deweese: American Conscientious Objector who served in the Civilian Public Service house
• Tammie Deweese: American contemporary abstract painter
• Robert Daniel Deweese: American classical composer
• Brian Deweese: American mathematician and computer scientist
• Glenn Deweese: American politician, member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Anthony Deweese: American stunt performer and actor

Other surnames

DeweesDeweese