Surname Willinck - Meaning and Origin
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Willinck: What does the surname Willinck mean?
The last name Willinck is a Dutch surname that has its roots in the Germanic personal name Willink. It is derived from the old German name Willo, which means "to wish or desire". This one-syllable name suggests a person of bold spirit and strong will.
Throughout the centuries, Willinck may have been used as a nickname given to someone strong-minded. Over time, it could have developed into an occupational name given to a person who worked as a wagoner or wheelwright in a medieval town.
The surname Willinck can be traced as far back as the 16th century in the Netherlands. By the 1800s, it had become an established surname among Dutch families.
Today, the surname Willinck is still popular in the Netherlands and many Dutch descendants abroad. It remains a unique name rich in meaning, and those who carry it might be thought of as strong-willed and determined individuals with a touch of boldness.
Order DNA origin analysisWillinck: Where does the name Willinck come from?
The last name Willinck is most commonly found in the Netherlands, where it was originally derived. It can also be found in Belgium and the German-speaking districts; however it is relatively rare in all three countries. Historically, the Willinck name has been observed in Germany and the U.K., but the vast majority of individuals with that name living in these countries are likely to be descendants of Dutch emigrants.
The name derives from the Dutch spelling of the name Willem (William), and is thought to have originated from the North Germanic version of ‘Willem.’ Therefore, it is likely that individuals bearing the surname Willinck were originally from the Low Countries region around the present-day Netherlands, before migrating elsewhere.
The surname started to become more spread globally around the 17th century. At the time, Dutch merchants and sailors helped to spread the name, as they traded across the globe. Additionally, massive overseas emigration to places like Australia, America, and parts of Africa, saw the surname become more widespread.
Today, the surname Willinck is found within smaller, existing diaspora populations all over the world, such as Dutch-American immigrants in the U.S., and Dutch people who have relocated to other countries for work or study. It is also mostly found throughout the Netherlands, as well as Belgium and Germany.
Variations of the surname Willinck
The surname Willinck has several variants and spellings, including Willinc, Willincx, Willing, Willings, Wiling, Willink, Willinkx, Willinckx, and Wilincks. All of these variants ultimately derive from the same surname, and historically, the spelling of surnames wasn't established and was quite fluid.
The Willinck surname can be found in Dutch, German, and Belgian records, and probably originated as a Dutch surname. The root of the surname is the Dutch personal name Wijlijn or Wilhelmus, which is composed of two Germanic elements, 'wil' meaning desire or resolution and 'helmp,' meaning helmet or protection. The reference to a helmet or protection suggests the origin of the surname as an occupational name for a helmet-maker.
The variants of the Willinck surname have also been found throughout Germany, in areas such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg. In the Netherlands, there are still families that use the Willinck variant of the surname. The Willinckx, Willincx, Wilincks, and Wiling variants of the surname have been found mainly in Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany, with the most frequent location being Flanders and Limburg in the Netherlands.
In America, the Willinck surname arrived in the mid- to late-1600s, with multiple families descending from different branches of the original Dutch settlers. The most commonly found variants of the American Willinck surname include Willinc, Willing, and Wiling, although there are still families today that retain the original Willinck spelling.
Famous people with the name Willinck
- Morten Willinck (composer and musician)
- Kristian Willinck (architect and painter)
- Maritta Willinck (actress)
- Jens Willinck (radio host)
- Andreas Willinck (politician)
- Lars Willinck (photographer)
- Tore Willinck (musician)
- Kirsten Willinck (fashion designer)
- Pia Willinck (author)
- Maria Willinck (banker)
- Anders Willinck (businessman)
- Maja Willinck (singer)
- Ronald Willinck (film editor)
- Annelies Willinck ( dancer)
- David Willinck (film producer)
- Sophia Willinck (physicist)
- Rolf Willinck (author and biologist)
- Henrik Willinck (arts director)
- Steen Willinck (professor of philosophy) 20.Per Willinck (physician and climatologist)