Surname Wennig - Meaning and Origin

Wennig: What does the surname Wennig mean?

The last name Wennig is a German occupational surname that can be found in areas across the world. It is derived from Middle High German words "wenninc" and "wenneg" which mean “worker” or "artisan". This suggests that the name had been given to someone who worked in a trade or was involved in some kind of manual work.

The name Wennig can be found in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. It is believed that it came out of Germany in the Middle Ages. Since then, the name has spread to other parts of Europe and across the world.

The root of this surname is believed to be Germanic, likely originating from West Germanic before the adoption of Christianity, though it doesn't have a specific meaning in modern German. In some cases, it could have been a toponymic surname, which was derived from the name of a place or region.

The name Wennig has had many spellings over time and can be found in various forms, such as Wenig, Wennigk, Wennigke and Wendig. It is an uncommon surname, but one that has endured over the years.

Wennig: Where does the name Wennig come from?

The last name Wennig is most commonly found in Germany, where it is used by around 1,800 people. It is also present in the United States, where it is a bit less popular than in Germany but it is appearing in more and more families today.

Wennig is an uncommon name in most other countries of the world, as it tends to stay localized within the German population. In the United States, the last name is found in almost all states, with the highest concentrations being found in New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, California, and Minnesota.

The origin of the Wennig surname is believed to have come from the German language, specifically the word “Wenn” which means “if” or “when”. To the best of researchers’ knowledge, there is no other connotation to the Wennig name than the start of a sentence in German.

Many of the people who currently own the surname Wennig are not necessarily related directly, as the German-American family may have simply adopted the name as a way to remain close to their home country’s language and culture. This could be the reason that the name is recognized across multiple generations, and still used today.

Overall, the last name Wennig is most commonly found in Germany and the United States, though other scattered occurrences are known to exist in other countries. Many people of German heritage still cling on to it today in an attempt to stay connected to their German routes.

Variations of the surname Wennig

Wennig is an uncommon surname of German origin. The primary variants of this surname are Wenning and Wenig. The alternate spellings for this surname include Winnig, Wening, Wyning, Wenninger, Winig, Wning, and Woenning.

The variants of the Wennig surname can be traced to the ancient Germanic personal name Winingo, which was composed of the elements wini (friend) and gfunc (war). This combination might have indicated a friend in war.

Wenig is a more common variant of the surname, especially in the western parts of Germany. It is derived from the medieval version of the surname, Wenze, which was a diminutive form of the name Winze. Also, Wenig might have its origins in the old Germanic personal name Weningo, meaning "friend from a different place."

The surname Wennig is well-recorded in Germany's historic archive documents. It is found mainly in the northern part of Bavaria and in the Westphalia region. The name is also common in the United States, where it is strongly assimilated and often spelled Wenig or Wening.

Appearances of the surname in the United States are quite numerous, with the highest concentrations in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin. Notable Americans with the surname Wennig include William Wennig, a Lutheran minister in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and Edward Wennig, an educator and soldier who served in World War II.

Famous people with the name Wennig

• Erich Wennig, a German economist and publicist
• Alexandra Wennig, a German actress
• Christian Wennig, a German politician
• Helmut Wennig, a German art historian
• Klaus Wennig, a German doctor
• Kilian Wennig, a German entrepreneur
• Lars Wennig, a German tennis player
• Thorsten Wennig, a German soccer player
• Ulrich Wennig, a German philosopher
• Paul Wennig, a German physicist

Other surnames

WennickeWennigeWennigerWennigesWennikeWenningWenningerWenninghoffWenningmann