Show ContentsWiedemann History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are several possible origins for the name Wiedemann because the German word "weide" from which it originates has three quite different definitions. Firstly, it means "willow," implying that the first bearer could have been someone who lived near a large or notable willow tree; many surnames in Germany and most other European countries were taken from some noteworthy feature near the person's house. Secondly, it means "grazing," implying that the name may have been taken because the first bearer lived near good grazing lands. Lastly, the word also means "hunting"; this could mean that the man was a hunter, or it could mean that he lived near well-known hunting grounds.

Early Origins of the Wiedemann family

The surname Wiedemann was first found in Westphalia, where the name Wiedemann emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Wiedemann family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wiedemann research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1686 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Wiedemann History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wiedemann Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Weide, Weid, Weiden, Waide, Weidler, Weidman, Weidmann, Weidtler, Widmann, Wiede, Wiedmann, Wiedemann and many more.

Early Notables of the Wiedemann family

More information is included under the topic Early Wiedemann Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Wiedemann migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wiedemann Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Wiedemann, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 1
  • Ambrosius Wiedemann, who landed in Charles Town, South Carolina in 1782 1
Wiedemann Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Daniel Wiedemann, aged 26, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 1
  • Bernhard Wiedemann, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 1
  • Philip Wiedemann, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1803 1
  • Charles Wiedemann, aged 32, who landed in St Louis, Missouri in 1845 1
  • August Wiedemann, who arrived in Texas in 1847
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wiedemann (post 1700) +

  • Kent M. Wiedemann (b. 1946), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 1999 2
  • George Wiedemann Sr. (1833-1890), German brewer, founder of the George Wiedemenn Brewing Company
  • Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann (1770-1840), German physician, historian, naturalist
  • Gustav Heinrich Wiedemann (1826-1899), German physicist known for his studies on the conductibility of solids


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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