Surname Winterle - Meaning and Origin
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Winterle: What does the surname Winterle mean?
The last name Winterle is a German surname and has its origins in the Middle Ages. It is derived from names like Wendelin which has its roots in Wendland and a suffix 'le' meaning 'little'. In connection with the place, it can be assumed that this name originated in a region called Winterle in Germany.
The surname first became established as a family name during the Middle Ages. It was formed by adding the 'le' suffix to place names like Winter, which indicated that the name was associated with a particular location.
The surname Winterle can suggest many different meanings, including 'the little one from Winter' or 'one who lives in Winter'. It can also indicate that a person or family originated from a small village in Germany known as Winterle.
Over the years, the name was loaned to other countries and used as a surname by people of different nationalities. In many cases, the name was shortened and varieties such as Winnter, Winter, Winterlin or Winterling have been adopted.
Today, the Winterle surname is very common in countries including Germany, United States, Canada, and Australia. It is a reminder of the family's distant history and their connection to a particular region of Germany.
Order DNA origin analysisWinterle: Where does the name Winterle come from?
The last name Winterle is most commonly found in Germany, although it can also be found across Europe. It is not an overly common name and the first record of it comes from Germany from the early 1500’s. It is thought to have originated from the German meaning “Winter” and “Lee” which could mean meadow or clearing.
In the modern times, the surname Winterle is most commonly found in Germany and the surrounding countries e.g. France, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland. Even to this day, it appears to be overwhelmingly a German name with very few records of the name in other countries.
It is likely that the Winterle name derives from the Germanic for winter, and many of those who carried this as a surname held occupations related to winter occupations such as hunting and fur trappers. This would help explain why the name appears to be restricted geographically to those parts of Europe with severe winter climate.
In today’s Germany, there are roughly 9000 approximations of the Winterle name, mostly to be found in the North and West. This is definitely fewer than other names in Germany such as Mueller or Schmitz, which are some of the more common surnames. Whilst Winterle may not be the most common surname in Germany today, it is certainly a name that carries a deep history.
Variations of the surname Winterle
Winterle is an uncommon surname with a range of animated spellings and related surnames. The root of this name is the German word ‘winter’, meaning ‘winter’, hence the translation of the name is ‘winterly’.
Variations of the surname consist of the spelling Wintherle, Wintterle, Wintterleigh, Wintterlee, and Wyntterlee.
The most common second spelling of Winterle is Wintherle, which is found mainly in the United States as well as Germany and the United Kingdom.
Wintherle is a rural surname in the Netherlands and is believed to be a dialect variant of the name Winterle, which adds to the unique registry of the surname’s origin.
Other related surnames are Winteler (from a German-speaking area in Switzerland) and Wintelaer (from a Dutch-speaking area in the Netherlands).
There are also additional surnames that show various levels of proximity to Winterle, such as Winikor, Wintzter, Wyntor, Wenterly, Worthlea, Winterlea, and Winterly.
The variations of the spelling of this surname are likely derived from the many dialects in which it was spoken, leading to variations in pronunciation and spelling.
In any case, it is a surname with plenty of spelling variety making it easy to identify, and a unique origin story.
Famous people with the name Winterle
- Scott Winterle: A former professional soccer player, he played for the Los Angeles Hotshots and was part of the US National Futsal team.
- Maria Winterle: A prominent classical musician, she has performed solo recitals in Europe and has her compositions performed by orchestras internationally.
- Annemarie Winterle: A world-renowned fashion designer, she has won numerous awards and presented her designs at Paris Fashion week.
- Kurt Winterle: A chef and restaurateur, he is the chef and owner of the Micheline-starred restaurant, The Winterle, located in San Francisco.
- Richard Winterle: A filmmaker and actor, he has directed and stared in several commercially successful movies, including, "An Unbroken Heart", "Finding Joy", and "The Last Goodbye".
- Ali Winterle: A best-selling author, she has written books about mental health, recovery, and self-love.
- Paul Winterle: A politician, he has served on the local council for his area of Colorado for several years and was recently appointed as a senator in the US Congress.
- Veronika Winterle: An international environmental activist, she is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Gone Green, which focuses on ensuring sustainable development in developing countries.
- Derek Winterle: An accomplished scientist, he has contributed to many research projects regarding climate change, renewable energy, and alternative fuel sources.
- Thomas Winterle: A professional athlete, he is an Olympic weightlifter and has set multiple world records in the sport.