Surname Ungewitter - Meaning and Origin
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Ungewitter: What does the surname Ungewitter mean?
The surname Ungewitter is a German locational name, derived from the word 'Ungewitter', which translates directly as 'unexpected storm'. This suggests that the family originates from a place in Germany which was affected by an unusual storm. The place-name may still exist today, but the family itself is believed to have originated somewhere in the Alsace-Lorraine region in the western Rhineland Palatinate. This region has a long history of turbulent politics and a mix of cultures, which may explain why the family adopted a surname describing an unexpected storm.
Today, families with the surname Ungewitter still exist, living mostly in Germany but also in other countries like the US and Canada. The original meaning of the name may have been forgotten over the centuries, but family members are likely to share a common ancestor and a shared history.
Overall, the last name Ungewitter is a reminder of Germany's turbulent and diverse past, and those who bear it will have plenty of stories to tell about their ancestors' experiences in a changing area of Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisUngewitter: Where does the name Ungewitter come from?
The last name Ungewitter is of Swabian-German origin. It is thought that it originated in or around Leonardtstadt, now present-day Bad Leonfelden, in the Austrian province of Upper Austria. In the 18th century, it is believed that some members of the Ungewitter family moved out to the regions of Styria and Lower Austria.
The last name is not particularly common today. It is recorded that in Austria only around 200 people still carry the surname. The name is also present in Germany, with around 400 people registering it in their personal data records. Furthermore, it has spread to Switzerland, South Tyrol (northern Italy) and Alsace (northern France) where there are a few more holders of the name outside of the countries mentioned above.
The reasons why the name is not as widespread as many other surnames are not clearly known, but it could be due to the family reaching other locations in Europe. Until recently, this movement has been hindered by political and geographical boundaries, something that could have impacted the survival of the Ungewitter family name over the throughout the centuries.
Variations of the surname Ungewitter
Ungewitter is a German surname with several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Its variants include Ungewyter, Ungewittert, Ungewytert, and Ungewit. These surnames are believed to have originated from the Middle High German “unkwi” and the Old High German “wih” which means “stranger” or “outsider”.
Ungewitter is also a variant form of the Hungarian surname Ungyődi, which is thought to have derived from an old placename in Northern Hungary, though the exact origin of the placename is unknown. The Hungarian variant of the Ungewitter surname is believed to mean “member of the Ungyődi people” or “inhabitant of Ungyőd”.
There are also other Habitational variants of the Ungewitter surname, such as Ungewittel, Ungewittler, and Ungewittlerova, which are all derived from placenames in Czech speaking regions, likely from the Czech word “ungrob” meaning “bog or marsh”.
Ungevitter/Ungewyter is also a variant of a German placename, derived from the Middle High German “ungwi” and “wit” meaning “stranger” or “outsider”. The East Prussian form of this surname is Ungevit, while the variant Unkewitt is found mostly in western Germany, as well as the Netherlands.
Finally, Ungevitter is also a variant form of the Dutch surname Ungevoet. This surname is derived from the Dutch words “unge” and “voet”, meaning “path” or “way”. This surname is mostly found in the Netherlands and in Germany around the Rhine and Ruhr regions.
Overall, the German surname Ungewitter has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Each of these variants, spellings and surnames likely originated from different places and cultures, and all give insights into the history of the surname.
Famous people with the name Ungewitter
- Sylvia Ungewitter: German actress, best known for her portrayal of the lead character in the long-running TV series Wetten, dass...?
- Armin Ungewitter: German entrepreneur and businessman, founder of the German car rental company, Next Generation Mobility.
- Lutz Ungewitter: German soccer player, played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayern Munich in the 1970s.
- Johannes Ungewitter: German journalist and writer, best known for his novel Die Lebensfreuden (The Joys of Life), which was nominated for the German National Book Award in 2006.
- Jürgen Ungewitter: German actor, predominantly involved in voice-over work for television and film.
- Hans-Ludwig Ungewitter: German politician, held several positions in regional government and served as Minister of Social Affairs in the 1990s.
- Robert Ungewitter: German actor and comedian, performed in a variety of interactive shows and appeared in several feature-length films.
- Tobias Ungewitter: German musician and composer, known for his works blending classical, pop, and electronic styles.
- Karin Ungewitter: German novelist and screenwriter, best known for Ain't it All Just a Dream, which was adapted into a movie in 1986.
- Viktoria Ungewitter: German athlete, specialized in volleyball, winning several national and international tournaments with her club team in the 1990s.