Surname Gehlweiler - Meaning and Origin
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Gehlweiler: What does the surname Gehlweiler mean?
The last name Gehlweiler is a German surname which can be traced back to the Rhineland region of Germany. The root of the surname appears to be the name Gelle, which was a title given to certain lucky individuals at the time of the Middle Ages. It is believed that the title Gelle came to be known as Gehlweiler.
The surname Gehlweiler is found mainly in the western part of Germany, particularly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg. The name is generally found among people from the Catholic faith. It is thought that the name is derived from an old German word, ‘Gehl’, meaning a person with a good fortune or luck.
In modern times, it is believed that the name Gehlweiler is derived from Old German words meaning ‘the sound of the wheel’. This could refer to someone who worked with wheels, such as a wheelwright, potter, or even a wagon-maker.
The name Gehlweiler is quite old and can be seen in records from the early 1700s in Germany. It is an interesting name, and though its exact origin is unknown, it is likely that the name has an auspicious past associated with it.
Order DNA origin analysisGehlweiler: Where does the name Gehlweiler come from?
The Gehlweiler surname is likely of German origin and is most common around southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Alsace region of France. Specifically, it appears to be most prominent in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in Germany, as well as the city of Zurich in Switzerland. Gehlweiler is an uncommon name, and the historical evidence shows that many of its bearers migrated from southern Germany to other countries.
In the United States, the name first appears in the late 19th century, with the first known record being a G. Gehlweiler listed in New York City’s directory in 1878. Since then, the surname has spread across the country, with records appearing as far away as Nebraska, Oregon and even Hawaii. Today, Gehlweiler is still a relatively rare name in the United States. However, there are several dozen individuals in the country who can trace their ancestry to the German-speaking region of Europe, and a handful of them still carry the Gehlweiler surname.
Variations of the surname Gehlweiler
The surname Gehlweiler is believed to have originated in Germany. The traditional German spelling of the surname is Gehlwilr, but several variants and alternate spellings of the name are found throughout Europe. Variations of this surname include Gehleweiler, Gehlwilerr, Gehlwiler, Gehlwillerer, Gehlweillier, and Gehlweiller.
In Germany, the ancestral home of the Gehlweiler surname is in the Rhineland-Palatinate Region in the southwest. In the Bavarian-speaking regions of Bavaria, Austria, and the Czech Republic, the name is spelled Gehleweiler. In Poland, the surname is spelled Gehlwilrr. In France, the surname is spelled Gehlwillerer and in Switzerland it is spelled Gehlweillier. In Belgium, the surname is spelled Gehlweiller.
As with many surnames, Gehlweiler has many variants with similar etymologies and derivations. Surnames from the same language family and similar regions often have a shared history, which may lead to a variety of spellings and pronunciations. Therefore, it is possible to trace the origins of a surname by examining different variations of its spelling.
Famous people with the name Gehlweiler
- Alfred Gehlweiler (1880-1959), German politician and Royal Prussian Saxon Minister of Transport
- Francis Gehlweiler (1922-2020), American businessman and philanthropist
- Anita Gehlweiler (born 1967), Canadian professor of English at Wilfrid Laurier University
- Thomas Gehlweiler (born 1972), American hockey player
- Hanjo Gehlweiler (born 1979), German film director
- Max Gehlweiler (born 1989), German contemporary artist
- Henry Gehlweiler (born 1991), Canadian rapper and singer-songwriter
- Jacob Gehlweiler (born 1994), American football player
- Sophia Gehlweiler (born 1996), French tennis player
- Vanessa Gehlweiler (born 1998), Swiss figure skater