Wielant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Wielant

What does the name Wielant mean?

Bavaria, Germany is the original homeland of the Wielant family. Wielant is a patronymic name, a type of surname that derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Wielant was derived from a Germanic personal name that is composed of the elements wig, which means war, and land, which means territory or land. The popularity of the name Wielant is due to the fact that it was borne by the supernaturally skilled smith of a folk legend. It is also for this reason that the name Wielant was applied as a nickname to smiths.

Early Origins of the Wielant family

The surname Wielant was first found in Bavaria, where the name was seen in the mediaeval period 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 Europe. They were also found in the northern regions: Meister Wiland was the builder (1333) of the Peter-Paul church in Liegnitz, Silesia. The name Wieland was also famous through the legend of Wieland der Schmied, the most artful of all black smiths. Indeed, chronicles mention an actual "Wieland der Schmied" in Freiburg in 1341. Other chronicles mention Konrad Wielant of Esslingen in 1301, and Mathias Weland of Greifswald, Pomerania, in 1374.

Early History of the Wielant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wielant research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1605, 1663, 1733, 1763, 1810, 1813 and 1849 are included under the topic Early Wielant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wielant Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Wielant include Wieland, Wielandt, Wiland, Wielant, Weland and many more.

Early Notables of the Wielant family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wielant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wielant family

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: Conrad Wieland and his wife Anna Engeler, who came to Carolina or Pennsylvania with their four children in 1734; Marte Wieland came to Philadelphia in 1772.