Surname Wehrle - Meaning and Origin

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H. Wehrle

Wehrle: What does the surname Wehrle mean?

The surname Wehrle is derived from the German word wehr, meaning ‘guard’ or ‘sentinel’. This suggests that the original bearer of the surname was likely a sentry or watchman. It is likely that the surname Wehrle originated in what is now southwestern Germany, and it is still especially common in the region today. This suggests that the family’s roots in the area go back centuries.

The Wehrle surname can appear in a variety of spellings, including Wehrs, Wehr, and Wehrli. It can also take on regional incarnations, such as Wehrlen found in the Alsace region of Germany and France.

Throughout Central Europe, the Wehrle name was borne by many families of the same origin. Generally speaking, Wehrles shared agricultural roots, with many having worked the land for generations. During the 19th century, some Wehrles moved away from the farms to take up crafts and other trades.

Today, the Wehrle surname is spread across the world. Its spelling varies depending on where you are; in English-speaking countries it is more commonly spelled Wehrle or Wehr. Whether written as Wehrs, Wehr, Wehrli, or Wehrlen, the Wehrle surname reminds us of those rugged individuals who defended their homeland and their families.

Wehrle: Where does the name Wehrle come from?

The last name Wehrle is still most commonly found in its areas of origin. The name is of German origin, and the vast majority of Wehrles can currently be found in Germany and Austria.

The German regions of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate are the areas that have the most concentrated populations of Wehrles. According to a search with genealogy websites such as Verein für Computergenealogie ev (VfCG) and Familienforschung.de, a majority of the Wehrle family is located in these regions. In the smaller villages and small towns in these states, there are still many Wehrles living in them today.

The name is also distributed to other countries, as many Wehrles left German-speaking countries around the world in search of a better life in the 1600s and 1700s. A large number of Wehrles moved and settled in the United States of America during the 19th and 20th centuries. More recent generations of Wehrles have also scattered to other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Though the name is common in the areas of origin and in other parts of the world, many of the Wehrle family members are still connected in some way. The name and its many variant spellings still unite many distant relatives worldwide, and close ties among family members is still seen in many places.

Variations of the surname Wehrle

The surname Wehrle has many variants, alternate spellings, and different surnames of the same origin. Here is a list of some of them:

Variants

Verle, Waehrle, Wehrele, Weiherle, Werrle

Alternate spellings

Verl, Wahrle, Waehrle, Weerle, Wehrile

Surnames

Vaerle, Varle, Verle, Vierle, Vohrle, Vohrli, Waal, Waehrle, Waehrli, Waerle, Waerli, Warle, Werle, Werlei, Wilerle, Woerle.

The spelling may have changed over the years due to the evolution of the language as well as the phonetics of the name. The surname Wehrle is a Germanic name that originated from the Middle Ages and dates back to the Francian tribes before the 6th century.

The spelling is still widely used today and may be found in several name variations. The common surname Wehrle is believed to mean "defender or protector" and the various alternate spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin usually carry the same meaning.

There is also the possibility that the surname Wehrle originated from a place name or even geographic features, therefore, people who are related to this surname may have ancestors who migrated to that area or those that were born there.

To this day, the surname Wehrle is still widely used in many countries, especially in the countries of Germany and Switzerland.

Famous people with the name Wehrle

• Jill Wehrle: professional female athlete, NFL cheerleader, and CrossFit competitor.
• Henry Wehrle: 19th century German architect.
• David Wehrle: former Head of the International Space Station Program, Interim NASA Administrator, and Launch Director for NASA’s last Space Shuttle mission.
• Christian Wehrle: German footballer, currently playing for FC Nöttingen.
• Ernst Wehrle Sr.: former professional Swiss footballer.
• John Wehrle: headmaster of Kent-Meridian High School in Kent, Washington.
• Ernie Wehrle: 7th President of Virginia Tech during the 1970s.
• Philip Wehrle: German mathematician of the 19th century.
• David Wehrle: Australian motorboat racer.
• Alfred Wehrle: German painter of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Other surnames

WehrlWehrleinWehrliWehrlichWehrlin