Woerst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Germany

Etymology of Woerst

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Woerst family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Woerst is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a person who made sausages, a skill which has been held in high regard since the Middle Ages. The surname Woerst is derived from the Old German word Wurst, or Wurstmacher, which denotes a sausage-maker.

Early Origins of the Woerst family

Early History of the Woerst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woerst research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1746 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Woerst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woerst 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 Woerst include Wurster, Wursten, Wurstel, Wurstere, Wurstle, Wurst, Wuester, Wuersten, Wuestel, Wuestere, Wuerstle, Wuerst, Worster, Worsten, Worstel, Worstere, Worstle, Worst, Woerster, Woersten, Woerstel, Woerstere, Woerstle and many more.

Early Notables of the Woerst family

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

Migration of the Woerst family

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Woerst or a variant listed above: Richard Worster arrived in Virginia in 1635; Rebeca Worster arrived in New England in 1656; Peter Worster arrived in New York, New York in 1663; Hans Worster arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738.