Wintere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The ancient German region of the Rhineland, gave birth to the family name of Wintere. At first, people used only a single name, but as the population grew and people began to travel, they began to find it necessary to take on an additional name to differentiate themselves. Fairly general principles guided the development of hereditary surnames in the Rhineland. Among the most common forms of surname found in the Rhineland are those that are derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Wintere was a name for a person of a sad or melancholy nature. The surname Wintere originally derived from the Old German word "wintar" or "wintra" which literally referred to a "wet season."

Early Origins of the Wintere family

The surname Wintere was first found in the Rhineland, especially the provinces of Westphalia and the Palatinate, where the name 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 Wintere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wintere research. Another 219 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1653, 1681, 1768, 1770, 1793, 1799 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Wintere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wintere 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 Wintere include Winter, Winters, Winterer, Wintere, Winterle and many more.

Early Notables of the Wintere family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wintere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wintere family

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Wintere, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early: Heinrich Winter, who came to New York State in 1710-11; Gerhart Winter arrived in New Jersey in 1769; Johann Jacob Winter came to Philadelphia in 1752.

The Wintere Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Majorum servari virtute
Motto Translation: The greater the power of the observed