Germanic Origin Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the origin is Germanic.
usage
origin
Wallach Yiddish
From Middle High German walch meaning "foreigner (from a Romance country)".
Walter English, German
Derived from the given name Walter.
Walters English
Derived from the given name Walter.
Walterson English
Means "son of Walter".
Walther German
From the given name Walther.
Waltz German
From a diminutive of the given name Walther.
Wang 2 German, Dutch
From Middle High German and Middle Dutch wange meaning "cheek", possibly a nickname for someone with round or rosy cheeks.
Wang 3 German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From Old High German wang or Old Norse vangr meaning "grassy slope, meadow".
Wash English
Derived from the Norman name Wazo.
Waterman 1 English
Means "servant of Walter".
Waterman 2 English, Dutch
Occupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.
Waters 2 English
Derived from the given name Walter.
Watkins English
Derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, which was a diminutive of the name Walter.
Watson English, Scottish
Patronymic derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, a diminutive of the name Walter.
Watt English
Derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, a diminutive of the name Walter. A noteworthy bearer was the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819).
Watts English
Patronymic derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, a diminutive of the name Walter.
Wauters Dutch
Means "son of Wouter".
Weber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.
Wechsler German, Jewish
Means "money changer, banker", from German wechseln "to exchange".
Wedekind German
From the given name Widukind.
Weeber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.
Wegener Low German
Low German variant of Wagner.
Wegner Low German
Low German variant of Wagner.
Wehner German
Variant of Wagner.
Wehnert German
Variant of Wagner.
Wehunt German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of German Wiegand.
Weigand German
From the given name Wiegand.
Weiner German
Variant of Wagner.
Weiss German, Yiddish
From Middle High German wiz or Yiddish װייַס (vais) meaning "white". This was originally a nickname for a person with white hair or skin.
Weiß German
Variant of Weiss.
Welter German
Derived from the given name Walter.
Wendel German
Derived from the given name Wendel.
Wendell German
Variant of Wendel (typically American).
Werner German
From the given name Werner.
Wernher German
From the given name Werner.
West English, German
Denoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.
Westenberg Dutch
Means "west of the mountain", originally referring to a person who lived there.
Wiegand German
From the given name Wiegand.
Wilcox English
From a diminutive of the given name William.
Wild English, German
Means "wild, untamed, uncontrolled", derived from Old English wilde. This was either a nickname for a person who behaved in a wild manner or a topographic name for someone who lived on overgrown land.
Wilkerson English
Means "son of Wilkin".
Wilkie English
Double diminutive of the given name William.
Wilkins English
Means "son of Wilkin".
Wilkinson English
Means "son of Wilkin".
Willard English
From the given name Wilheard or Willihard.
Willems Dutch
Derived from the given name Willem.
Willemse Dutch
Derived from the given name Willem.
Willemsen Dutch
Means "son of Willem".
William English
Derived from the given name William.
Williams English
Means "son of William".
Williamson English
Means "son of William".
Willis English
Derived from the given name William. A famous bearer of this surname is actor Bruce Willis (1955-).
Wilmer German, English
Derived from the given name Willimar or Wilmǣr.
Wilms Dutch
Derived from the given name Willem.
Wilson English
Means "son of Will". A famous bearer was the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924).
Winograd Jewish
Jewish form of Vinogradov.
Winogrodzka f Polish
Feminine form of Winogrodzki.
Winogrodzki m Polish
Polish cognate of Vinogradov.
Winter English, German, Swedish
From Old English winter or Old High German wintar meaning "winter". This was a nickname for a person with a cold personality.
Wirner German
From the given name Werner.
Wirnhier German
From the given name Werner.
Wirt German
Variant of Wirth.
Wirth German, Jewish
Occupational name for an innkeeper, derived from German wirt meaning "host".
Wolf German, English
From Middle High German or Middle English wolf meaning "wolf", or else from an Old German given name beginning with this element.
Wolter German
From the given name Walter.
Wolters Dutch
Means "son of Wouter".
Wörner German
From the given name Werner.
Wörnhör German
From the given name Werner.
Wouters Dutch
Means "son of Wouter".
Zeegers Dutch
Means "son of Sieger".
Zegers Dutch
Means "son of Sieger".
Zilberstein Jewish
Ornamental name meaning "silver stone", from Yiddish זילבער (zilber) and שטיין (tein), both of Old High German origin.
Ziskind Jewish
Ornamental name, or from a given name, meaning "sweet child", derived from Yiddish זיס (zis) meaning "sweet" and קינד (kind) meaning "child", both words of Old High German origin.
Zuiderduin Dutch
Means "southern dune" in Dutch.