| ![Show Contents]() Wiland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Bavaria, Germany is the original homeland of the Wiland family. Wiland is a patronymic name, a type of surname that derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Wiland 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 Wiland 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 Wiland was applied as a nickname to smiths. Early Origins of the Wiland familyThe surname Wiland 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 Wiland familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wiland 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 Wiland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wiland Spelling VariationsMany cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Wiland include Wieland, Wielandt, Wiland, Wielant, Weland and many more. Early Notables of the Wiland familyAnother 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wiland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Wiland migration to the United States | + |
Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wiland or a variant listed above:
Wiland Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Grefve A. G. Wiland, aged 19, who settled in America from Halmstad, Sweden, in 1913
- Karl Wiland, aged 18, who landed in America from Warschau, Russia, in 1913
- Samuel Wiland, aged 24, who landed in America from Charkow, Russia, in 1913
- Maria Wiland, aged 17, who immigrated to America from Nagymyteny, Hungary, in 1914
- Bronislaw Wiland, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Wiland (post 1700) | + |
- George W. III Wiland, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Oklahoma, 2000, 2004; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 2008 1
- Johan Wiland (b. 1981), Swedish football goalkeeper
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Wiland migration to the United States 
England
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