Surname Kleinwächter - Meaning and Origin
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Kleinwächter: What does the surname Kleinwächter mean?
The last name Kleinwächter is a German surname meaning “small guard” or "little watchman". It can be traced back to the 11th century in Upper Bavaria, where it was used to describe an individual whose job was to guard a castle or other important fortification. The name originally derived from the occupation of watchman, which was a highly important role in the defense of any castle or stronghold. It is believed that the name is derived from the German word wächter, which means “watchman”.
The surname Kleinwächter is found in many parts of Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and France. It can often be seen in documents and records popular forms of medieval German life. The earliest record of the name was in Lienertshausen in 1140, where a man by the name of Hofhoati de Klynevacz was recorded as the town’s official watchman. It is believed that the name spread throughout Central and Eastern Europe shortly thereafter.
Kleinwächter is still a common last name in Germany today, often seen in marriage and birth records. It is also common in many parts of North America, where many German immigrants brought it with them in the 1800s. While it is not used as a safety profession anymore, there are still Kleinwächters who take great pride in their Germanic heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisKleinwächter: Where does the name Kleinwächter come from?
The last name Kleinwächter is most commonly found in Germany and Austria.
The name is derived from Germanic words, with “Klein” meaning small and “Wächter” meaning watchman or guard. The name likely referred to someone who was a small-time guard or watchman, such as a night watchman or a guard at a low-level government official’s residence.
It's possible that the name first appeared in the Bavarian region of Germany, which began to develop into a central region of Germany between the 8th and 12th centuries. According to a surname dictionary, the name was recorded in the surname archives in 1712 and became more common in the 19th century.
Today the last name Kleinwächter is still found in Germany and Austria, although there are slightly more people named Kleinwächter in Germany. A search online reveals many people with the name in cities like Berlin, Dortmund, and Leipzig. The name is also found in other countries, such as the United States and Canada, as a result of German immigration in the 19th century. In the US, most of the people bearing the name are living in the larger, more cosmopolitan cities.
The Kleinwächter name is a part of German history, and though it is not as common today, there are still plenty of people around the world who are proud to carry the name and remember its origin.
Variations of the surname Kleinwächter
The surname Kleinwächter is a German name meaning “little guard” or “small sentinel.” It is also spelled as Kleine Wächter, Klein Wächter, KleineWächter, Kleine Wächterei, Kleine Wachtmeister, Kliene Wächterin, Kleiner Wächter and Kleinwächter.
Variant spellings of Kleinwächter include Kliene, Kleine, Klein and Kleiner. Common German surnames with similar spellings and origins include Kliem, Kleim, Klieim, Kleinm, Klienm, Kleem and Kleim.
Kleinwächter can also be a variant of the surname Kleinwaechter, which is more common in North Rhine-Westphalia. This name is also spelled Kleinwächterei, Kleine Waechter and Klein Waechter.
Kleinwaechter is also a variant of the surname KleineWächter, which is a German surname that is derived from a personal name. It is also spelled as Kleine Wächter and Kleine Wachtmeister.
KleineWächter is also a variant of the surname Kleinwächterin, which is a feminine form of the surname Kleinwächter. It is a matronymic name, derived from the given name of the mother or female ancestor of the bearer. It is also spelled Kleiner Wächterin.
The surname Kleinwächter can also be a variant of the surname KleineWachtelaer, which is an old Dutch family name derived from the word “wachtelaer”, meaning “watchman”. It is also spelled as Klien Wachtelaer.
The surname Kleinwächter is also a variant of the surname Kleine Wachteln, which is a German family name derived from the word “wachteln”, meaning “little bird”. It is also spelled as Kleiner Wachteln.
Famous people with the name Kleinwächter
- Horst Kleinwächter: German jurist, a professor emeritus at the University of Kiel specialising in international law.
- Alexander Kleinwächter: German sculptor who mainly works with world travellers, sea nomads and locals in remote corners of the world such as New Guinea.
- Norman Kleinwächter: German journalist, editor and book author known for his focus on global politics and digital media.
- Egon Kleinwächter: German cellist, songwriter, composer and producer primarily known for his solo work.
- Thomas Kleinwächter: German photographer, video artist, virtual reality guru and media scholar.
- Eduard Kleinwächter: German politician, former member of the National Council of the German Christian Democratic Union and the European Parliament.
- Erich Kleinwächter: German art historian and scholar, professor at the University of Heidelberg, researching on principles of thought in European art.
- Mechthild Kleinwächter: German writer and journalist, known for her literary novels and non-fiction.
- Humphrey Kleinwächter: German filmmaker, theatre director and actor, known for his films about immigration and refugee stories.
- Anton Kleinwächter: German architect, designer and professor, mainly known for his work on fabrication and assembly of modern day timber structures.