Surname Reissenweber - Meaning and Origin
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Reissenweber: What does the surname Reissenweber mean?
The last name Reissenweber is of German origin. It is believed to have derived from a pre-existing surname “Riesenweber” which can be translated to mean “big weaver” or “kings weaver” in German.
Reissenweber likely originated as an occupational surname and referred to a person who was a skilful and competent weaver, or the head weaver of a workshop or a royal court. This would mean that the original bearer of the Reissenweber name may have been someone with a high status in the weaving industry.
The first record of the surname is believed to date back to the 15th century in Saxony, Germany. It is likely that the family spread through Europe during the many migrations over the years, eventually making its way to the United States in the late 19th century.
Outside of the name’s origin, there is not much known about the Reissenweber family and its descendants. However, it is known that the family today is mostly found in the United States and in Germany, where the name originated centuries ago.
Order DNA origin analysisReissenweber: Where does the name Reissenweber come from?
The last name Reissenweber is common today in several regions throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
In Germany, the name appears to be most common in the south, especially along the borders with Austria to the south and Switzerland to the west. Specifically, the cities of Munich, Regensburg, Augsburg, Freiburg, and Stuttgart are places whereFReissenweber is known to be more frequent.
In Austria, the name appears to be found more prominently in the east, especially the cities of Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. However, scattered Reissenwebers can also be found further to the west and south, such as the cities of Graz and Linz.
In Switzerland, the name is also known to crop up in the southern half of the country, around areas such as Zürich, Lucerne, and Basel.
Interestingly, a few American cities have proven to be strongholds of the Reissenweber name as well. Examples of such cities include Chicago, New York, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis - all of which have a surprisingly large number of Reissenwebers in their respective region.
To get some exact numbers, according to the Geneanet website, the Reissenweber name is particularly prevalent in the cities of Augsburg, Freiburg, Munich, Vienna, Regensburg, Chicago, Graz, Innsbruck, and Salzburg.
All in all, the last name Reissenweber can be found throughout some regions of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States. It is particularly concentrated along certain areas, such as the German-Austrian border, West Austria, and some of the major American cities, but there are likely to be a few Reissenwebers sprinkled throughout the globe.
Variations of the surname Reissenweber
Reissenweber is a German surname dating back to the Middle Ages. It is made up of two distinct elements, "Reissen" meaning journey or path, and "Weber" meaning weaver. This surname is most likely derived from the trade or profession of its original bearer. The variants of this surname include: Rissenwebre, Rissenweber, Ressenweber, Rissenwever, Rissenwekar, Rissenwegher, and Reisenweber. Throughout the centuries and across countries, the spelling of surnames was often adapted as languages evolved, resulting in variant spellings of the same surname. It is possible that the variant spellings of Reissenweber have arisen from the several dialects spoken in those regions. In addition, some combined variants of the surname have arisen, including 'Reisenweber', 'Riesenweber' and 'Riesenwever'.
The German spelling of the surname has also been subjected to numerous incorrect transcriptions over the years, which has led to the development of anglicized versions, such as 'Risenweber', 'Reyssenweber', 'Riesenwebber' and 'Rissanweber'. Some families might also have carried surnames of different origin, but that were phonetically similar to Reissenweber, such as 'Reeceman', 'Riceman', 'Riesman', 'Reesman' and 'Reesenberg'.
In summary, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Reissenweber are numerous and varied, due to both the long history of this surname, and its many cultures of origin.
Famous people with the name Reissenweber
- Calantha Reissenweber, professional entertainer
- Axel Reissenweber, renowned designer
- Adam Reissenweber, former NHL coach
- William Reissenweber, 1940-2004, American soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
- Kristin Reissenweber, professional alpine ski racer
- Christian Reissenweber, renowned contemporary painter
- Karl Reissenweber, erstwhile governor of Oregon
- Mike Reissenweber, retired athlete
- Lewis Reissenweber, influential political theorist
- Zachery Reissenweber, professional daredevil