Weins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The Weins family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Weins is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Weins was given to someone who lived near a vineyard on a hillside. The name Weinberg was originally derived from the Old German word Winberc, which is composed of the elements win, meaning wine and berc, meaning hill. The surname Weinberg is also an occupational name for a person who worked in a vineyard. In Bavaria, the Weinberg family possessed vast estates and lived in an elegant feudal manor.

Early Origins of the Weins family

The surname Weins was first found in Bavaria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Weins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Weins research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1690 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Weins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Weins Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Weins include Weinberg, Weinburg, Weinberger, Weinsberg, Weinsperg and many more.

Early Notables of the Weins family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Weins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Weins migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Weins Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Bastiaan Weins, who landed in New York in 1709 1
Conrad Weins, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 1

Weins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Mathias Weins, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Henry"
Johann Nikolaus Weins, who landed in North America in 1852 1
Daniel Weins, aged 14, who arrived in New York, NY in 1874 1
Peter Weins, aged 44, who arrived in New York, NY in 1874 1
John Weins, aged 37, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)