Surname Weyandt - Meaning and Origin

Weyandt: What does the surname Weyandt mean?

The surname Weyandt is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German personal name Weyant, which is a shortened form of the name Wigant. The root of the original name, Wigant, comes from the Old High German word witu, meaning "wood".

The surname Weyandt is believed to have originated from a location, house, or farmstead that was known as Weyant, which was frequented by individuals bearing this surname. The surname was associated with tenants and holders of estates and lands, and many branches of the family became farm owners.

Today, Weyandt is a very common German surname. It is also common in certain ethnic German areas of other countries, such as in the United States and Canada, where German immigrants settled. Notably, a large percentage of Weyandt families in the US have Pennsylvania-German roots.

The literal meaning of the word Weyandt is believed to have come from the idea of a tenant of a farm, so the interpretation of the surname could be someone who was a tenant of woodland or a tenant of the woods. It is also possible that it is derived from the Old High German word wey, meaning the person who cuts wood.

Weyandt: Where does the name Weyandt come from?

The last name Weyandt is predominantly found in the US and Germany. In the US, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia are among the most popular states for citizens with the Weyandt surname. The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is another key location where Weyandts can be found.

The Weyandt name originates from the German language and is shaped by the words “weg” or “wege”, meaning “road” or “way”. The second half of the name is derived from “anze,” a form of “and.” This suggests that the Weyandt family were road makers or supervisors of forests and roads.

The earliest known record of the Weyandt surname occurred at the end of the 16th century in Trier, in the western part of what is now Germany. Johann Weyandt was one of the first recorded bearers of this surname, having lived in the late 1500s in the small German village of Traben-Trarbach.

In recent years, Weyandt families have spread across the US and other countries, as people migrated in search of better opportunities and the chance to practice their faith. For example, some of the Weyandts moved to Canada in the early 20th century and later to the US. Other descendants of the Weyandts are now found in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.

Today, the Weyandt surname can still be found in most German-speaking countries, including Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It can also be seen in many English-speaking countries, such as the US and Canada. Though the Weyandt surname is not as common as some other surnames, it is still found in many parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Weyandt

The surname Weyandt has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. It originated in Thuringia, Germany but can be found in many countries today. Variations of the surname include Weyant, Weyand, Weyante, Weyandy, Weyandt, Veyandt, Veyant, Veiandt, Veyandy, Weyandte, and Wayandt.

In Germany, the surname is typically of the form Weiandt or variations of Weyandt, such as Wejandt or Wejand. In Scandinavia, however, the Weyandt surname enters the language as Veyandt, Veyant, Veyandy, and variations thereof. In the Dutch language, the surname is rendered as Weyandt or Wayandt.

In the United States, where many with the surname emigrated in the late 1800s, the Weyandt surname appears in immigrant records as Weyent, Weyand, Veyant, and Weyandi. The 1920 United States Census listed the variants Weyant, Weyan, Wean, Wyan, Veyant, Vyant, and Veyand in various parts of the United States. Later records may include the surname Weyandt or other variant spellings.

The Weyandt surname is sometimes confused with other German surnames containing the same root, such as Weiant, Weiuandt, Weant, Waient, Wieand, Wieando, Wieandt, Weiando, Wiaent, Wienandt, Wiehndt, Wohnsiedler, Waind, Wien, Winnant, Wyss, or Veyand. However, these are all distinct surnames.

Additionally, the surname is sometimes associated with the spelling Weydandt, though this is less common; Weydandt is usually a variant of the surname Weiherd.

Famous people with the name Weyandt

• Brianna Weyandt: singer/songwriter for emerging artist collective, Dig Dat Beat.
• Jordan Weyandt: professional figure skater who competed in the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
• Tony Weyandt: former NASCAR driver who competed in two Nationwide Series races in 2005.
• Harry Weyandt: all-American end for the University of Maryland's varsity football team in the 1950s.
• Michele Weyandt: Emmy award-winning documentary film producer and director.
• Ryan Weyandt: United States Air Force veteran.
• Debra Weyandt: founder of Weyandt and Associates Consulting, a service dedicated to the advancement of women in engineering and technical fields.
• Karl Weyandt: American jazz drummer, notably for the band Soulive.
• Frank Weyandt: former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers.
• Jonathan Weyandt: a founding partner at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP.

Other surnames

WeyandWeyant