Surname Wöbker - Meaning and Origin
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Wöbker: What does the surname Wöbker mean?
The surname Wöbker is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German word Wœbke, meaning ‘tailor’ or ‘seamster’. This likely originated as a job-related surname, indicating a person who was either a professional tailor or had a familial relationship to tailors. It may have been used to distinguish individuals in similar job professions, particularly in the larger cities of Germany, where many tailors likely operated.
The Wöbker surname could also refer to somebody who worked as a peddler, as the Germanic language root ‘Wœb’ could also mean ‘to wander’. In this context, the surname would have been used to identify a person who travelled, carried goods and sold them (i.e. a peddler).
The Wöbker surname is believed to have originated in northern and northwestern Germany. Records of this surname date back to the 16th century, but the current spelling of Wöbker was not officially introduced until the 19th century. In the modern era, this surname is believed to be quite rare, with very few individuals or families who still bear it. Today, those bearing this name may live predominantly in former German empire states such as the Netherlands, as well as in areas of Germany itself.
Order DNA origin analysisWöbker: Where does the name Wöbker come from?
The last name Wöbker is most commonly found today in Germany and other parts of Central Europe. It is a relatively rare name, with an estimated 1,741 people in Germany being the bearer of the last name.
In Germany, the last name is primarily associated with regions such as Schleswig-Holstein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, and Lower Saxony. Wöbker is an especially common last name in the city of Essen in North Rhine-Westphalia, where a significant number of family members continue to live today and trace their roots to the area.
The last name Wöbker is thought to have originated from Old German words, with its roots likely being in the Westphalian Low German dialect. It can also be traced back to the word “wöbke”, meaning “small shop”. This suggests that the name’s original bearer may have been a shopkeeper in the region.
Outside of Germany, the last name can be found in spots across Central Europe and beyond. Most notably, a small number of people bearing the last name can be found in countries such as Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
In the United States, the last name is mostly heard among people who have emigrated from Germany or Central Europe. As of 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that there were around 736 Americans with the last name Wöbker.
Variations of the surname Wöbker
The surname Wöbker is a German surname with different variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Woebker, Woebke, Woebmann, Woebke, Wobker, Woeber, Woebermann, Woebers, Wobke, Wobkemann, Wöbbke, Woëbke, Woëbmann, and Wöbbermannet.
The variant Woebker is a derivative form of the surname Wöbker, and many of the other aforementioned variants are related to the name Woebker. The variant Woebke is derived from the Old German word 'wohbi', meaning 'dwelling place'. While related, Wobker is a separate surname from Woebker, and is derived from 'woppe', meaning 'field'. Woeber is also derived from 'wohbi', as well as 'bari', meaning 'bear'.
Woebermann is derived from both 'Woeber' and 'mann', meaning 'man', and is a patronymic name with a meaning along the lines of 'son of the bear'. Woebers is derived from 'Woeber' and 'ers', meaning 'son of the dweller' or 'he who comes from the dwelling place'. The name Wobke is derived from 'woppe', meaning 'field'. Wobkemann is derived from 'Wobke' and 'mann', meaning 'man' and may also mean 'son of the field'.
The variants Woëbke and Woëbmann are derived from the Old German words 'woohi', meaning 'dwelling place', and 'mann', meaning 'man'. Wöbbke is similar to 'Woëbke', but has an umlaut, meaning it has been modified by the addition of two dots. Wöbbermann is derived from 'Wöbber' and 'mann', potentially meaning 'son of the vault guard'. The surname Wöbker generally has a meaning along the lines of 'dweller of the field or vault guard'.
Famous people with the name Wöbker
- Tobias Wöbker: is a professional German soccer player who plays as a defender for VfL Osnabrück.
- Nico Wöbker: is a German professional basketball player who plays for Rasta Vechta in the German Basketball Bundesliga.
- Tim Wöbker: is a German actor who has appeared in several films and series, including "The Lord of the Rings".
- Dirk Wöbker: is a German writer and poet. He is best known for his novels and poetry, which often reflect his own life and experience.
- Christian Wöbker: is a German journalist and author. He has written several books about politics, history and culture.
- Ludwig Wöbker: is a German politician of the CDU and was member of the German Bundestag from 2009 to 2017.
- Hans-Jürgen Wöbker: is a German visual artist and photographer. He is best known for his photography of nature and landscapes.
- Philipp Wöbker: is a German singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his folk-pop songs, which often reflect his intimate feelings and perspectives.
- Hans-Gerd Wöbker: is a German physicist and professor at the University of Bonn. He is best known for his research on superconductors and nanostructures.