Surname Wirner - Meaning and Origin
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Wirner: What does the surname Wirner mean?
The origin of the last name Wirner is a German/Austrian designation. It is derived from the medieval German term "wirner," which meant "potter" or "maker of clay vessels." By extension, the surname Wirner likely indicates that an ancestor of the bearer of the name was a potter. The name might have referred to a craftsman skilled in making small vessels, bowls and plates, as well as kitchen utensils like kettles and pitchers.
The surname Wirner is composed of two parts: the prefix "wir," which means "pot" or "maker," and the verb suffix "er," which indicates a person in the act of making the thing referred to by the prefix. Together, they form a single word that means "potter" or "maker of pottery."
The surname Wirner is not as common today as it was during medieval times, when pottery production was a major part of the economy. However, there are still a few families in some European countries, like Austria, that bear the name.
Although its original meaning has been lost, the surname Wirner still carries with it a sense of craftsmanship and skill. Looking back hundreds of years, it can still be seen as an admirable designation for a talented ancestor whose creativity and hard work were prized commodities in medieval Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisWirner: Where does the name Wirner come from?
The last name Wirner is most commonly seen today in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States of America. One potential origin of the last name is from the Middle High German term “wirner” which meant “guardian of plants” or “vinedresser.” It was likely common amongst those who were involved in an occupation related to farming.
In Germany, many of the people with the last name Wirner are concentrated in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the French border, in the southwest part of the country. In Austria, most of the people with the last name are located in the southern parts of the country.
In the US, the last name is seen mainly in the midwest and Northeast states, though the name is much less common here than in other countries. The last name Wirner is also derived from the German name Werner, which is a variant of the name “Warner” and the two last names are still seen in the US today and are both considered to have the same origin.
The last name is still common today in a few locations around the world, though it is much less common than in past centuries. With an estimated 0.59 per million people in the United States having the last name, the Wirner surname is considered to be rare in the US.
Variations of the surname Wirner
The surname Wirner has multiple spellings and variant forms, as well as associated surnames. In English speaking countries it may also be spelled Warner, Werner, and Wornar.
The German spelling is often written as Wörner, Wuerner, or Wuerrner, but there can be a variety of odd spellings resulting from slight pronunciation shifts over time. Additionally, some German families adopted the name Vierner, Weierner, or Verdner instead of Wirner.
In some countries there may be different interpretations of the name, as in French and Spanish where the names Verdier and Verdera, respectively, are sometimes branch offs of the original name. The surname also has an extended family of similar sounding names including Weerner, Warne, Warneur, Varnner, Voerner, Vernor, and Wernek.
In America, the name Warner is one of the most common and can be traced back to European immigrants. During the 1900 U.S. federal census, Warner was the 334th most common surname in the United States.
The Wirner name can also be found in various other languages, such as in Czech as Varner, and in Dutch as Weener, Wierner, and Waerner. It is certainly possible that other surnames have been created due to similar sounding influences or phoneme shifts, so further research may be necessary in order to trace the full family tree of this well established name.
Famous people with the name Wirner
- Bob Wirner: An American film producer and former President and CEO of Turner Broadcasting System from 1976 to 1999.
- Christy Wirner: An American musician, actor, and filmmaker.
- Leslie Wirner: A senior lecturer in diplomacy and international security at Tufts University in the US.
- Melissa Wirner: A German former swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Nicolai Wirner: A German writer, poet, and playwright.
- Rob Wirner: An American professional golfer.
- Stephen Wirner: A French film producer, screenwriter, and director.
- Tracy Wirner: An American actress, singer, and entrepreneur.
- Zack Wirner: An American drummer, singer, and songwriter.