Surname Wicherts - Meaning and Origin
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Wicherts: What does the surname Wicherts mean?
The last name Wicherts is a Dutch name, derived from the word “wicher” which means “axe.” It is thought to be a patronymic surname that originated from the original bearer of the last name who was a tradesman who used an axe in his line of work.
The surname Wicherts can be found mostly in the Netherlands and is registered in the Dutch ancestral register. The name is not especially common and today, there are fewer than 1,000 families bearing the name, though the surname can be found scattered across Europe.
The surname can be found in several spellings such as Wichert, Wichertsen, and Wichers. Over the generations the spelling of the surname has changed, and so its meaning and origin has been mixed up. Some names that have been derived from the name Wicherts include Wichers, Wichers-Kapsenberg, Wijchers, and Wichers-Visser.
As a result of its Dutch origin, the meaning of Wicherts has been lost to time but may still be determined through its Dutch roots. The original Dutch meaning of Wicherts is likely connected to the trade of axe-making, providing a glimpse into the lives of those who bore the surname long ago.
Order DNA origin analysisWicherts: Where does the name Wicherts come from?
The last name Wicherts is most commonly found in the Netherlands. According to the Dutch General Register Office, the name has a strong presence throughout the Netherlands, particularly the provinces of Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, and Utrecht. It is also found in Germany, Belgium and the United States.
The Dutch trace the origin of the Wicherts surname to the 12th century and the province of Gelderland. Historians believe the name means “strong tree” or “strong man” in Old German. This is supported by the fact that the family was involved in the preparation of timber for building and uses the first letters of the words Witzand and Eckerea to form the surname.
The Wicherts family of the Netherlands rose to prominence in the 16th century when several members flourished in the business of banking and arms dealing. Some families even gained lands and titles. The family’s influence and wealth continued in the 18th and 19th centuries, and many members of the Wicherts family still occupy a prominent place in Dutch society today.
In the United States, the surname Wicherts is mostly found amongst Dutch immigrants who settled in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other parts of the Midwest. The regional popularity of the name has been steady since the late 19th century. Immigrants from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium continued to bring the name with them after World War II and continue to this day.
Variations of the surname Wicherts
The surname Wicherts has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Among them are the names Wichert, Wicher, Wicht, Wichtel, Wigert, Wigger, Wikert, and Wichertson. The roots of the surname date back to the name Wigard, which is derived from the Middle High German word "streben," meaning "to strive." It is thought that the surname began to be used as a hereditary name in the mid-14th century as Wigardus, or Wicherus, as the surname evolved.
The most commonly seen variants of the surname today are Wicherts, Wichert, and Wichtel. Wicherts is a German variant, and Wichert is an English variant derived from the earlier German spelling. Wichtel is more an altered form of the surname due to the shortening and simplification of the name throughout the centuries. The other spellings are rarely seen today due to their original spelling, as the German spelling of the name has gotten simpler over time, as mentioned.
The surname has also spread to other languages, as Wicherson is an English patronymic surname, and Wigart, Wigert, and Wikert are Icelandic versions of the surname. Additionally, Wigger is a Dutch version of the surname, and there have been reports of the surname in Sweden as the same spelling as in Germany.
Overall, the surname Wicherts has evolved and spread to other languages over time, resulting in several different variants and spellings. Despite this, the roots remain the same, with the surname deriving from the German name Wigard, or ‘to strive’.
Famous people with the name Wicherts
- Jelte A. Wicherts: Professor of Biological Psychology at the University of Amsterdam
- Jorien Wicherts: Dutch journalist and television presenter
- Wolf Wicherts von Neunersbach: German artist, sculptor, architect, and art curator
- Jelmer S. Wicherts: Dutch psychologist and professor at Tilburg University
- Geep Wicherts: Dutch allround athlete who won several medals at the Summer Olympics
- Nico Wicherts: Dutch professional football player
- Rena Wicherts: Dutch professional basketball player
- Saskia Wicherts: Dutch amateur cyclist
- Lizzy Wicherts: Dutch professional ice hockey player
- Auke Wicherts: Dutch professional rugby player