Surname Wollmerath - Meaning and Origin
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Wollmerath: What does the surname Wollmerath mean?
The last name Wollmerath is of German origin and follows a feudal naming pattern. The name is composed of two elements, “Wolle” and “merath”, which together form the meaning “a grove or wood of which one owns the harvest”. The name likely arose when an ancestor of the Wollmerath family became a landowner or lord of a small farm or piece of land in the Germanic region. As part of the tenure agreement, they were likely given the rights to the land’s produce, thus forming their surname, Wollmerath.
The first recorded use of the name Wollmerath dates back to the 16th century in Germany, where members of the Wollmerath family served as minor lords and landowners to larger noble families. Records from the time document various members of the Wollmerath family as doers of admirable deeds, or “Tapfern Thaten”. In modern times, the surname Wollmerath is still found in Germany, where it is carried on by the descendants of its first bearers.
The name Wollmerath provides a link to the family’s past, revealing its German roots and connection to the land. It stands as a testimony to the achievements and contributions of the Wollmerath family, to their original homeland and to their descendants through the ages.
Order DNA origin analysisWollmerath: Where does the name Wollmerath come from?
The last name Wollmerath is common mostly in Germany today. It is also occasionally found in other parts of Europe, as well as some parts of the United States. According to one genealogy website, the name originates from the town of Wollmerath in Rhineland. It is believed to have become a family name when the practice of surnames became popular in that part of Germany during the 14th century.
In Germany today, Wollmerath remains a popular name. There are many individual people with the name, and it also appears as a street name in multiple cities. The name has been around for over 700 years and continues to be associated with the town it originated from.
In the United States, the name does occasionally appear. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the last name is relatively uncommon in the United States, but it is not unheard of. Most individuals with the name in the United States are likely descendants from German immigrants who came to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Although the name Wollmerath is not as common as other last names, it is still relatively well-known in parts of Europe and the United States. It has a long history associated with it and is likely to remain a popular name in Germany for many more years to come.
Variations of the surname Wollmerath
The surname Wollmerath has several variant spellings, and variants of the same origin.
The primary spelling is Wollmerath, however there are some alternative spellings of the surname which include Wolmerath, Wölmerath, Wöllmerath, Wöllmerat and Wölmerat.
Wollmerath is also often associated with other surnames derived from the same origin. These include Wollmer, Woelmer, Wölmer, Wolmers, Wóllmer, Wollmers, Woellmers, Wüllmer, Willmer, Wilmer and Wallmerat.
In some cases, Wollmerath is used as a surname in combination with other prefixes or titles. For example, one might find the combination Wollmerath-von, which is common among families in Germany. Another such combination could be Zu Wollmerath, which is an ancient way of indicating nobility or lineage.
The variants, spellings, and surnames of Wollmerath all stem from a common origin. These names were originally derived from residences in Germany located near the cities of Aachen and Bonn, based on the location of a “Mountain of Wool” (Wolleberg) near these towns. It is likely that the progenitors of these families originally grew and processed wool in the area and adopted the surname to reflect their occupation.
Through the course of history, the surname’s spelling and its association with other surnames of similar origin have changed, however its shared origin still provides a link between today’s families who carry the name.
Famous people with the name Wollmerath
- Anthony Wollmerath: An American professional boxer from Missouri. He holds three world titles and has a professional record of 35 wins and 20 losses.
- Christopher Wollmerath: A German professional football player who played as a defender for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
- Gerald Wollmerath: An Austrian international football player who played for Austria Wien and the Austrian national team.
- Lillian Wollmerath: An American Major League Baseball player from Ohio who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early twentieth century.
- Ricardo Wollmerath: A Brazilian professional football player who currently plays for Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
- Sarah Wollmerath: An American drama teacher at Breckinridge Middle School in Tennessee.
- Uwe Wollmerath: A German professional football player who played for Augsburg in the early 2000s.
- Eva Wollmerath: A German film and television actress who has starred in The Age of Empires and other German-language productions.
- Andreas Wollmerath: An Austrian actor who has starred in films such as The Dark End and Mirrors.
- Rainer Wollmerath: An Austrian music producer and composer who has composed scores for films such as The Remarkable Journey of Ferdinand Magellan and The Rose Queen.