Surname Wordemann - Meaning and Origin
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Wordemann: What does the surname Wordemann mean?
The last name Wordemann is of German origin and means ‘protector of the manor’. The name is derived from a combination of the Old German words ‘werd’ and ‘mann’ which mean ‘guard’ and ‘man’ respectively. It is thought that the name was created by the German people as a title for families who were responsible for protecting manors from danger – usually in the form of invaders or criminals.
The name Wordemann is closely related to the Old German words ‘ward’ meaning ‘to guard’ and ‘man’ meaning ‘male, man or person’. The earliest known use of the name is recorded in the 13th century in the Bavarian region of Germany as a nickname for someone who watched over the manor.
Throughout history, the name is thought to have been used primarily in the regions of Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia as a title given to families who acted as protectors of manors. The name Wordemann stood for strength and loyalty and those who bore the name were responsible for the safety of property, and the lives of those who lived and worked in the manors.
In modern times, the name Wordemann is still in use in Germany as a surname. It is also recognized as an English surname, but is not as commonly seen. Those who bear the name still act as loyal protectors for their families, homes and society.
Order DNA origin analysisWordemann: Where does the name Wordemann come from?
Wordemann is a rare name, and its distribution appears to be largely concentrated in Germany. According to the Behind the Name website, Wordemann is a German surname of unknown origin. Its earliest occurrence is from the fourteenth century in the region of Lower Saxony, in northwestern Germany. During the twentieth century, the name was mostly found in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Today the surname Wordemann is still largely concentrated in Germany. It is most concentrated in the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, with smaller numbers of people with the name present in the states of Hesse and Bavaria. In addition to Germany, this rare name is also found in countries such as the United States, Australia, Germany's former colonies in Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia.
In general, Wordemann is not a common name. The name is far less common in the U.S. than in Germany, and its presence in other countries is often sparse. This could be due to the name's German origin and its connection to German immigration. It is likely that the people who bore the name Wordemann were German immigrants or from German families who traveled to foreign countries.
Variations of the surname Wordemann
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Wordemann are Woerdeman, Woreman, Woordeman, Wordeman and Werdman. Woerdeman is a Dutch surname derived from the Middle Dutch ‘worden’, meaning 'to become'. It originated with the members of the Dutch working class who adopted the name Woerdeman to signify their rising status as merchants and tradesmen. The variations of the surname appeared to Germanic countries in the 19th century.
The German Woordeman, when written in the Gothic script, is identical to that of Woerdeman. The spelling of this surname has changed from Woordeman to Wordeman when English is used to spell the name.
The Dutch Woreman has the same meaning as Woerdeman, though its spelling varies. The spelling and pronunciation of Woreman also coincide with that of the word ‘worried’ in English, though the surname is unrelated to the emotion of worry.
The German Werdman is another ancestral form of the surname Wordemann. Its origin goes back to Imperial Germany and it is believed to signify a place or farm owned by the namesake.
The spelling of the surname Wordemann is essentially the same as it was in the Middle Dutch ‘worden’, stayed relatively unchanged in all language forms and has only been slightly altered since. The different spellings and origins of the name may therefore reflect regionalization over time.
Famous people with the name Wordemann
- Alexander Wordemann: German actor best known for his roles in Kalkofe Mattscheibe, Der alte Affe Angst, and Der schöne Schwindel
- Julian Wordemann: German actor best known for appearing in 2002's Der Stellvertreter: Ein Ceylon-Krimi
- Lothar Wordemann: German comedian, writer, director, and actor who is a member of the comedy duo WordPott and is known for his roles in films such as Timber Kings
- Mirko Wordemann: German actor, comedian, and director best known for Seitenwechsel, No Country for Old Men, and The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Tobias Wordemann: German actor known for his roles in television series such as In aller Freundschaft and Oma Melli
- Wilhelm Wordemann: German actor best known for his film and television roles in works such as Derrick, Sesamstraße, and Tatort