Surname Whealin - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Whealin: What does the surname Whealin mean?
Whealin is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin and it is thought to have originated in either England or Scotland. The name itself is composed of two elements: the Old English personal name Hwæel, or the Old English word Hwæl, meaning 'wheel'; and the Old English word 'ing', which means 'the people of.' This originally referred to someone who lived near or worked with a wheel; someone who either owned or repaired wheels.
Surnames derived from patronyms are the oldest and most common form of surnames in the English language. This name most likely originated during the Middle Ages, when people seeking to distinguish themselves in society adopted surnames that embodied a hereditary identity, or described some aspect of their physical characteristic or profession.
Although the Whealin surname has been in the British Isles for many centuries, it was first documented there in the mid 15th century. In Scotland it was first found in Angus, and was likely linked to the old Clan Angus. The first recorded spelling of the family name was in 1581, when Thomas Wheling witnessed aescrow in Perthshire. From that time onwards, various spelling variations of the name have emerged such as Wheling, Whellen, Whalin, Wheelen, Whalia, Whealen and Whealan.
The Whealin surname today is most prevalent in the United States and Great Britain. However, this name is also found in other parts of the world, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
Order DNA origin analysisWhealin: Where does the name Whealin come from?
The last name Whealin is of English origin, combining elements of the Old English words Wheal, which means a mine, and Lin, which means a pool or a place of water. The Whealins are believed to have first settled in Gloucestershire, but records of this date back to the 13th century.
Today, the last name Whealin is common mainly in England, but also scattered around other English-speaking countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America.
In England, there are still some families living in Gloucestershire, such as Stroud, Wotton-under-Edge, and Thornbury, where the name was first found. Additionally, there are concentrations of the name in West Yorkshire, with around 1,460 people in Bradford, Wakefield, and Leeds, and in Cleveland it has a population of 1,570 people.
In the United States, the last name is predominantly located around California, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. California has the largest population of Whealins (around 960 people), followed by Pennsylvania with around 400 people, and Delaware has the smallest population (around 290 people).
Another significant cluster of Whealins can be found in New Zealand. There are around 570 people living in Auckland, Christchurch, and the North and South Islands. The last name is also quite common in Canada, with concentrations in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Though the name is rare in some places, the last name Whealin still has a presence in several English-speaking countries today, showing both its age and the strength of its family ties.
Variations of the surname Whealin
Whealin is an uncommon and uncommonly varied surname. Although many of its variants have English roots, there are also spellings with German and French derivations. Some spellings include Whealen, Whelan, Whelen, Weeland, Whalen, Whaling, Whelon, Whaloon, Wheilon, Weilen, Waalen, and Waylen.
The English variant Whealin itself is probably from the Old English pre 7th century word ‘hwaela’, meaning ‘boaster or braggart’, and was originally a nickname for an excessively loud or boastful person. Someone of this name would have been known as ‘Hwaels’ before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and was probably found mainly in the south west of England more than anywhere else.
Where the various spellings of Whealin arose included Germany, where Whealon and Whaloon developed in the 16th century, as well as France where Weilen and Waalen became quite popular. The earliest record of the name dates to the 1324 in the city of Freiburg, Germany, when one Ulrich Wael and his brother are recorded there.
Other variants of the surname include Whelon, Whalen, Whaling, and Waylen. Variations like these arose as families with the same name moved to other parishes and countries. As travel increased to other countries and languages began to mix, the spelling of names often changed.
Overall, the Whealin family name has a rich history and many different variants from around the world.
Famous people with the name Whealin
- D.P. Whealin: an American WWII veteran who served in the 308th infantry of the 77th Division
- Steve Whealin: a professional musician and multi instrumentalist from the USA
- Danny Whealin: an American radio personality with hits on Nashville country radio
- Dale Whealin: a professor of computer science at Drexel University
- Pamela Whealin: an Irish folk singer known for her traditional Irish melodies
- Samuel Whealin: a two time Paralympic bronze medalist who competed in the men’s 1500m and 5000m track events
- Jeffrey Whealin: an American composer and arranger whose work is performed in concert halls and recording studios throughout the world
- Matthew Whealin: a Canadian ice hockey player and former captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League
- Keith Whealin: a United Kingdom-based sculptor whose works have been displayed in galleries across Europe
- Daren Whealin: an American singer-songwriter with multiple top 20 Billboard Hot 100 singles to his name