Surname Werdesheim - Meaning and Origin
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Werdesheim: What does the surname Werdesheim mean?
The surname Werdesheim is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German words 'werd' and 'heim', meaning 'woods' and 'home' respectively. It may have initially referred to a family that lived near or in a wooded area, or it may have been used to signify a family who lived in a particular home.
The modern surname or family name Werdesheim is mostly found in North America and may have first been adopted here by immigrants who came from Germany in the early nineteenth or twentieth century. It is the surname of some notable people, such as David Werdesheim, a former US Marine Corps officer, and possibly a more famous namesake, Joe Werdesheim, a lawyer and University of Maryland basketball player.
The surname is recognizable among German Jews and is also the name of some fishing villages in the Netherlands, meaning 'home among the woods'. There is even an ancient Jewish cemetery in Prague known as the Old-New Synagogue-Werdesheim Graveyard.
Werdesheim is a surname that not only evokes a sense of place and origin, but also reflects a family history full of knowledge and experience. The meaning of the name itself is an eloquent reminder of a place filled with woods,HOME.
Order DNA origin analysisWerdesheim: Where does the name Werdesheim come from?
The last name Werdesheim is most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking parts of Europe, with most individuals spelling their last name Werdesheimer. The spelling of Werdesheim is more commonly found in the United States and other Anglophone countries, likely due to a variety of emigration patterns from Europe in the early twentieth century.
In the early twentieth century, many individuals with the surname Werdesheim emigrated from Europe, particularly from Germany and other German-speaking countries, as a result of violent political conflict and anti-semitism. During this period of significant Jewish emigration, many people with the last name Werdesheim relocated to the United States. Today, the highest concentrations of individuals with the Wishemsheimer and Werdesheim last names are found in the United States, although these surnames are still found in Germany.
165 years of U.S. Census records reveal that the last name Werdesheim is most commonly found in Maryland, and in particular, the Baltimore metropolitan area. The city is now home to the oldest continuously active synagogue in the United States, providing further evidence of its historical role in attracting Jewish settlers. In addition, the last name has also been recorded in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
The Werdesheim surnames is spread across Europe and the United States today, most likely having arrived to the U.S. during a period of great emigration. It is found in larger amounts in German-speaking areas of Europe and Maryland in the United States. Despite the spread of the last name, the history behind its inception remains steeped in the events of the early twentieth century political climate in Europe.
Variations of the surname Werdesheim
The Werdesheim surname is a German/ Ashkenazi Jewish surname of German origin. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, include:
Werdesheim: This variant of the Werdesheim name is the most common form and is used throughout Europe. It can also be found in the United States and other countries.
Verdesheim: This is a common variation of the Werdesheim name. It is generally a phonetic variation of the name and is most common in North America.
Versdheim: This is also a common variation of the Werdesheim name. It is a corruption of the spelling of Werdesheim, which is thought to be the original surname spelling. Like the Verdesheim form, it is most commonly found in North America.
Verdheim: This is probably the most common variation of the Werdesheim name. It is similar to the Verdesheim and Versdheim forms of the name, but is thought to be the original spelling.
Wertsheim: This variation of the Werdesheim name is a fairly common spelling. It is most commonly found in Germany and Austria.
Werdscheim: This is another variation of the Werdesheim name. It is most commonly found in Germany.
Verdesheimer: This is a variant that appears to have evolved from the Werdesheim name. It is a relatively rare surname and is most commonly found in France.
Verdscheimer: This is another variant of the Werdesheim name. It is most commonly found in the United States and is thought to have originated in Germany.
Verdshield: This is a variation of the Verdscheimer variant of the Werdesheim name. It is most commonly found in the United States.
Verd: This is a variant of the Werdesheim name that has evolved over time. It is most commonly found in the United States and is likely a corruption of the original name spelling.
These are the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Werdesheim.
Famous people with the name Werdesheim
- Mordechai Werdesheim: Mordechai Werdesheim is an Orthodox Jewish leader from Baltimore, Maryland who is best known for his involvement in a racially charged assault incident in 2010.
- Avi Werdesheim: Avi Werdesheim is an Orthodox Jewish leader and brother of Mordechai Werdesheim. He was also involved in the 2010 incident.
- Fran Wertheim: Fran Wertheim is a Jewish performer and trained actor who has appeared in productions in both New York and Los Angeles.
- Benny Wertheim: Benny Wertheim is a singer who has performed several times in New York.
- Eric Wertheim: Eric Wertheim is the author and publisher of the widely respected Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World.
- Mike Wertheim: Mike Wertheim is a former professional basketball player and coach, now a broadcaster for ESPN.
- Ephraim Wertheimer: Ephraim Wertheimer was a Jewish religious leader and rabbi who lived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from 1817-1874.
- Harold Wertheimer- Harold Wertheimer was a professor of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University who specialized in the study of hormones and their effects on behavior.
- Arnold Wertheimer: Arnold Wertheimer was a German opera singer who performed with some of Italy's most famous singers.