Surname von Wilckens - Meaning and Origin

von Wilckens: What does the surname von Wilckens mean?

The German surname von Wilckens (or simply Wilckens) is derived from the personal name Willibald. During medieval times, it was common for people to take the name of their father or another ancestor as their surname. In this case, Willibald was likely the name of an ancestor of the family, and "von" is a common German preposition indicating the family belonged to or were related to the person with the given name Willibald.

Today, von Wilckens is used mostly as an upper-class surname. People of this surname often have a long-standing history and are often descendants of minor German noble families. Since the use of titles of nobility was abolished in 1919, only people of high social standing and accomplishments are still referred to as “von”; it is not part of a family’s name.

The coat of arms for the Wilckens family is a golden shield with two black antlers and three blue and silver stars. The antlers are a reference to the hunter-like source of the family’s wealth and the stars are for nobility. The family motto, which is typically associated with those of Germanic upper class, is “Fortem Et Fidelem.” This translates to “strong and faithful” and is an inspirational motto for the von Wilckens family.

The von Wilckens may have held a noble status many years ago, but today they are just like any other family. People with the surname von Wilckens are members of an esteemed family whose roots trace all the way back to medieval Germany. Despite being deprived of their royal status, the von Wilckens still live up to the values embodied in the family’s motto - strong and faithful.

von Wilckens: Where does the name von Wilckens come from?

The last name von Wilckens is a German surname that is most commonly found in central and eastern Germany. It is also found in Austria and Switzerland, and to a lesser extent in other German-speaking countries, such as Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. In the United States, people with von Wilckens roots mainly live in states with a strong German heritage, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota.

The origin of the von Wilckens surname can be traced back to the kingdom of Saxony in eastern Germany. The region was home to several noble families, including the von Wilckens family. During the 16th century, members of the family moved to nearby regions, such as Austria and Meißen, and spread the von Wilckens surname around Germany and eventually to other countries.

Today, several institutions have ties to the von Wilckens family, such as the Von Wilckens Academy in Bavaria, Germany, and the Von Wilckens Family Foundation in Switzerland. The company Wilckens & Weise GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1912 and is still active in Germany today. Some members of the von Wilckens family continue to live in Germany, but others have also moved to countries like the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia.

Variations of the surname von Wilckens

The surname von Wilckens is a patronymic surname of German origin that has been widely used by aristocrats or members with royal lineage in various regions of Europe. Initially, this surname was found in the region of East Frisia, a region of the north German coast known for its marshlands and lowlands.

The variants of this surname include Wilckens, Wilkens, Wilkenson, Cullen, Cully, Vullen, Vullan, Wilekens, Wilckin, Wilckinson, and Voon. These spellings of the surname are most commonly the result of an individual expressing their own personal preference for a given surname throughout the course of history or due to the influence of regional dialects and various phonetic pronunciations of the name.

The von Wilckens surname is also known to have been changed or adapted to fit several regional cultures across Europe. It may be encountered as Wilkens in Scotland, Wilkenson in England, Vullen in France, and Wilekens in The Netherlands.

Variants of this surname can also be classified as demonymic, which is when a given name is derived from the name of the place of origin. In this case, surnames such as Wilcken and Voon have been derived from East Frisia, Wilkin from Wilkinstead in England, and Cullen from Colton in Scotland.

Overall, the von Wilckens surname is a patronymic surname of German origin that has evolved into many different spellings, surnames, and variants throughout Europe. The primary influence on this evolution has been the influence of regional dialects, resulting in different phonetic pronunciations and preferences for the spelling of the name.

Famous people with the name von Wilckens

• Mark von Wilckens: German entrepreneur and businessman. He is the managing director of WiXX GmbH, an IT consulting and software development company.
• Guido von Wilckens: German mathematician and philosopher. He has written several books on the philosophy of mathematics and his research focuses on abstract algebra and complex analysis.
• Fritz von Wilckens: German actor and director. He has worked on numerous films, TV series and theater plays in Europe.
• Margarethe von Wilckens: German-Austrian philosopher. She is a renowned expert on philosophy of language and has written several books on ontology and knowledge theory.
• Karoline von Wilckens: German painter. She has a vivid and colorful style which is often on display in her exhibitions around the world.
• Heinrich von Wilckens: German musician and composer. He made numerous compositions of classical music and is celebrated for his operas.
• Gertrud von Wilckens: German writer and historian. She wrote countless biographies of famous people and wrote several historical books.
• Wilhelm von Wilckens: German diplomat and playwright. He wrote several plays which were performed in Germany and around Europe.
• Anneliese von Wilckens: German politician and activist. She was a member of a local town council and considered an importantConnector between parties.
• Hermann von Wilckens: German sculptor. He is known for his detailed sculptures of animals, plants and other natural subjects.

Other surnames

von Wilckevon Wilcken