Wewers Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The distinguished surname Wewers emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. Occupational surnames were derived from the common trades of the medieval era. The surname Wewers is an occupational name for a person who made his living as a weaver of cloth. The surname Wewers is a derivative of the Old English word web, which means web or weaver.

Early Origins of the Wewers family

The surname Wewers was first found in Somerset where they were one of the many Flemish industrialist families who settled in the west country in the 13th century. John le Webber was listed in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1255; and later Hugo le Webbere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327. 1 The Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem listed: Robert le Webber; and Clarice le Webbere. 2

Early History of the Wewers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wewers research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1751 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Wewers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wewers Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Webber, Weber and others.

Early Notables of the Wewers family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wewers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wewers family to Ireland

Some of the Wewers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wewers migration to the United States +

An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Wewers:

Wewers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Georg Jos Wewers, who landed in America in 1827 3
Elis Wewers, who arrived in America in 1842 3
Bemh Herm Wewers, who landed in America in 1844 3
W Jos Wewers, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1844 3
John Wewers, who arrived in Arkansas in 1893 3

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)