Surname Wendelmann - Meaning and Origin
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Wendelmann: What does the surname Wendelmann mean?
The last name Wendelmann is derived from the German word Wendel, which means to bend. This implies that the Wendelmann surname is likely to have originated from someone who worked in a profession which required them to bend something (such as a blacksmith, cooper or even a gardener), or may have been given to someone who lived near a bend or winding road.
The surname is found predominantly in Germany, but there are some people who originated from this name in the United States. In the 19th century, a certain Johann Heinrich Wendelmann of Hanover made the unique decision to uproot his family and settle in Zanesville, Ohio, which at the time was a major destination for German immigrants.
The Wendelmann clan eventually spread from Ohio to various other states, including Texas, Florida, and California. Even today, the name can still be found in historical records in relation to the business endeavors of family members, including newspaper advertisements for a grocery store owned by a Mr. William Wendelmann in Tipton, Iowa in the 1870s.
The name Wendelmann has survived across the generations, embodying the memory of a hard-working immigrant family's journey and determination to forge a new life in a foreign country.
Order DNA origin analysisWendelmann: Where does the name Wendelmann come from?
The last name Wendelmann is most commonly found in the northern parts of Germany, including the states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein. It is also found in Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. According to records from 2018, Wendelmann was the 917th-most-common surname in Germany, with 6,540 bearers.
In the United States, the last name Wendelmann is mainly concentrated on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Data from the 2000 census implies that it was most common in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Massachusetts. It was also reportedly the 4,287th-most-common surname in the U.S. at the time, with just over 1,000 bearers.
In Canada, the last name Wendelmann is relatively rare; records from the Canada 2011 Census shows that it was the 7,180th-most-common name in the country, with only 45 bearers. Just under 40% of those lived in Ontario, while the rest were found in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.
Overall, it appears that the last name Wendelmann is much more common in Germany and other parts of Europe than it is in North America. In the U.S. and Canada, it is relatively rare, though there are some clusters of bearers in particular areas.
Variations of the surname Wendelmann
Wendelmann is a German surname, with multiple spellings and variants. Common spellings of the surname include Wendelman, Wendellman, Wendelman, Wendelmen, Wendellmen, Wendelmann, and Wendellmann. Variants, or surnames of the same origin, can include Wendelmuth, Wandleman, Wendermann, Wenderman, Wendermen, Wendern, Wendland, Woudemans, Woldmann, Valdman, Udmann, and the more uncommon Tüdelmann.
When looking at origin powerhouses such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, Wendelmann is most commonly found in Germany. The core of its origin lies in the birthplace of the German language, Germany’s Bavarian region. This makes sense seeing as Wendelmann roughly translates to “Wendel’s son” and is thought to derive from the given name “Wendel”, a version of the given name “Vinzent”. Among inhabitants in the 13th century, Vintzent (Wendel) was a common name and was synonymous with “friend” or “relative”.
By surname distribution, Wendelmann is situated mainly in southern Germany, specifically the modern-day states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Thomas Wendelmann in the 16th century from Würzburg is often credited for the proliferation of the surname in Germany.
One person who is very well known with the surname is Nobel Laureate Otto Carl Wendelmann, who received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his contributions to physical chemistry and the quantification of reaction rates.
In conclusion, Wendelmann is a surname of German origin with multiple spellings and variants. Its distribution is located mainly in southern Germany, however the surname is also found throughout the German diaspora.
Famous people with the name Wendelmann
- Alexander Wendelmann, German coffee merchant, author and politician.
- Balthasar Wendelmann II, German sculptor and woodcarver.
- David Wendelmann, German engineer and physicist.
- Jakob Daschendelmann, German merchant and politician.
- Johann Wendelmann, German baroque painter and architect.
- Julius Wendel, German-American artist and illustrator.
- Malte Wendelmann, German musician and composer.
- Max Wendelmann, German poet and classical scholar.
- Reinhold Wendelmann, German lawyer and jurist.
- Stefan Wendelmann, German art historian.