Surname Schwiegert - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Schwiegert: What does the surname Schwiegert mean?
The last name Schwiegert is of German origin, with the literal translation of the name meaning "father-in-law" or "son-in-law." It is derived from the German words "Schwieger" meaning "father-in-law" and "Vater" meaning "father."
The surname itself likely began as a nickname for a man who was either a son-in-law already, or was on his way to becoming one. It would help identify him from the other men in his village or community who may have had the same name, as a reference to his marital status.
Over time, Schwiegert would come to be used as a surname by families in Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse of Germany. These families likely moved to other areas within Germany or even beyond German borders, in search of better jobs and a better life.
The frequency of the Schwiegert surname throughout Germany is higher than it is in the UK or US. Interestingly, however, the use of the name Schwiegert is more common in the US than it is in Germany today, likely because of the influx of German immigrants.
As a result, the name Schwiegert can be found all over the world today, from Germany, to the US, to Eastern Europe and other parts of Europe, to parts of South America and Asia. A wide variety of spellings are also seen, including Schwegert, Schewiegert, Schewigart, and Schwiegerts, to name a few.
Order DNA origin analysisSchwiegert: Where does the name Schwiegert come from?
The last name Schwiegert is a German surname, so it is most commonly found today in Germany and other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It also has a presence in countries with large German-speaking populations such as the United States and Canada, primarily in areas with significant numbers of German immigrants. According to Ancestry.com data, 64 percent of all people with the surname Schwiegert worldwide live in Germany, while 8 percent are found in the United States and a further 6 percent in Canada.
While the prevalence of Schwiegert in Germany is spread relatively evenly across the country, in the United States it is heavily concentrated in Midwestern and Eastern states with large populations of German-Americans, such as Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania. Schwiegerts are most commonly found in the upper Midwest, including in Wisconsin, where it is the 333rd most common surname. In Illinois, it is the 458th most common, and in Minnesota it is the 720th most common.
The presence of people with the last name Schwiegert in other countries is also quite diffuse, with clusters in countries such as Brazil, Norway, and France, for example. Schwiegert appears to be one of those rare last names that is spread fairly evenly throughout much of the world.
Variations of the surname Schwiegert
The surname Schwiegert has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Schwiegert is derived from the Middle High German term “schwihart”, which was a term often used for a village sheriff, and roughly meant one who protects or stands guard.
Variations of Schwiegert include Schwieger, Schwyger, Schweger, Schwigert, Schwiger, Schwiegerdt, Swigger, Swigueart, Swiger, Schweigerdt, and Schwiegardt.
Common spelling variations of Schwiegert include Schwiger, Schwyger, Schwiegart, Schwiegerdt, Schwiegard, Swigger, and Swigart.
Surnames of the same origin include Schwieger, Schwyger, Schweiger, Schweigerdt, and Schwiertz.
Most variants of the Schwiegert surname are found predominately in Bavaria, Germany, with a few also found in other parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This surname is especially common in the namesake village of Schwiegert, which is located in the state of Bavaria.
The Schwiegert surname is possibly derived from a nickname, and is usually thought to be an occupational surname. It is likely that this surname would have been adopted by the families of village sheriffs and guards, who would have taken pride in their family name.
Famous people with the name Schwiegert
- Todd Schwiegert: Todd Schwiegert is an American television and film producer most known for his work on the hit reality TV show The Real World.
- Elli Schwiegert: Elli Schwiegert is a German lawyer and innovator who is a leading voice on gender equality, fighting for women’s rights across Europe.
- Adam Schwiegert: Adam Schwiegert is a music producer, composer, and sound engineer who has collaborated with a variety of popular artists, including Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.
- Bobby Schwiegert: Bobby Schwiegert is an American artist and sculptor who has exhibited five solo exhibitions in New York and the Netherlands.
- Rebecca Schwiegert: Rebecca Schwiegert is an American biochemist whose research into the development of biopesticides has been credited with increasing crop yields and reducing crop losses.
- Lydia Schwiegert: Lydia Schwiegert is a German Olympian who represented her country in the sport of gymnastics in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
- Dave Schwiegert: Dave Schwiegert is an American professional soccer player who has played with a variety of teams in the Major League Soccer, including the Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy.
- Schmid Schwiegert: Schmid Schwiegert is a Swiss-born digital artist and programmer whose work has been exhibited in galleries around the world.