Surname Hertewich - Meaning and Origin
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Hertewich: What does the surname Hertewich mean?
The last name Hertewich is of German origin, derived from the Old High German personal name “Herdevig”, which translates to “strong army”. It is believed that the name originated in the Germanic region of Holstein in the early 10th century and may have been adopted by migrating individuals across Europe. The form of the name underwent slight changes in the centuries following, including variants Hertewig, Hertewich, Hertiwig, and Hertwich, before settling on Hertewich.
Today, Hertewich is most frequently found in Germany as well as in the United States, England, and Canada. It is believed that the family likely reached North America sometime between the early eighteenth and late nineteenth centuries. Those who immigrated to America may have come for various reasons, including economic insecurity, religious persecution, or a desire to start anew.
In the German language, the name Hertewich is spelt `Hertewich’ and pronounced as `her-tay-vitch’. In American English, the pronunciation changes to `her-tuh-witch’. Thus, the pronunciation of the name can vary from country to country. It is believed that the name may also be used in Holland, Flanders, Austria, and Switzerland.
Overall, the surname Hertewich signifies a proud and rich history of German-speaking peoples and their descendants living in many parts of the world today. It is a testament to the strength and resourcefulness of individuals and families who have traveled far and wide, endured hardships, and found a place to call home.
Order DNA origin analysisHertewich: Where does the name Hertewich come from?
The surname Hertewich is a common German last name, originating from the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old German name “Heric” which was derived from the personal name “Heriaht” or “Herid”. Over the centuries, it became Hertewich and then evolved into other spellings.
Today, the surname Hertewich can be found mostly in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In Germany, the surname Hertewich is most common in the state of Saxony followed by the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Thuringia.
Outside of Europe, due to large migration patterns, especially from the 1800s, the surname Hertewich is also common in the United States, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand. The US states of Texas, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have the highest occurrences of the name Hertewich.
The current estimated worldwide population of people bearing the surname Hertewich is over 28,000, with nearly half of these living in Germany. The Hertewich surname is popular in Europe and has spread worldwide as a result of both historical migrations and modern globalization.
Variations of the surname Hertewich
The Hertewich surname is most likely an Anglo-Saxon name of Old English origin. It is derived from the pre-7th century words “here” and “wic” which mean “army camp.” This surname was likely the occupation of someone who was assigned to oversee the army camp and thus the name Hertewich was born.
Variant spellings for Hertewich include Hartewich, Heartewich, Heortewick, Hartwick, Harteich, Herteugh and Hertevich. Other surnames that have a similar origin to Hertewich are Hertzig, Hertog, Hertzog, Hertsog, Hertig, Hertwig, Herald, Herold, Heraud, Hertaud and Hearold.
The various spellings and surnames of Hertewich are derived from different regional dialects across Europe. For example, in Northern Germany, the original spelling “Hertewich” became “Herteugh”. Meanwhile in Southern Germany, the spelling was changed to “Hertevich”, a more Russianized version. In the Netherlands and Flanders, the name evolved into “Hartwig” and “Hertsog” respectively.
The various spellings and surnames of Hertewich reflect the mobility and migrations of European people throughout history. In recent times, the spelling of Hertewich has become increasingly uniform and is mostly used in England and the United States.
Famous people with the name Hertewich
- Heiner Hertewich, German mathematician and education theorist
- Hermann Hertewich, German agronomist, soil scientist, and plant nutritionist
- Ilse Hertewich-Heger, German chemist
- Karl-Ernst Hertewich, German historian
- Kurt Hertewich, German classical scholar
- Fabio Hertewich, German entrepreneur
- Martin Hertewich, German racing driver
- Maximilian Hertewich, German born Cologne psychologist
- Anna Hertewich, a German landscape architect
- Karola Hertewich, a German moderated business journalist