Surname Vilsecker - Meaning and Origin
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Vilsecker: What does the surname Vilsecker mean?
The last name Vilsecker is of German origin and derives from the old Germanic personal name 'Villi', meaning 'strong willed'. The suffix 'Sekker' refers to a semicircle, and together the name roughly translates as 'protector of the circle'. However, some records show the name as Langsecker or 'long semicircle', and this may relate to the long history of the noble families in Germany who, like their counterparts in other pre-modern states, had to act as protectors of their people.
The Vilsecker family is recorded in records dating as far back as the 13th century in the area that is now part of modern-day Bavaria. Their original territory was Ausbürg, a small region located in the south-western corner of the country close to the Austrian and Swiss borders.
It is thought that the family moved from their original home some time before the 19th century and settled in other regions of Germany including Baden-Wurttemberg. The Vilseckers have lived in this area ever since and are still present today.
Today, the Vilseckers remain proud of their family name and have extended their roots across the world. They are a respected family in their homeland and have a strong sense of community and cultural heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisVilsecker: Where does the name Vilsecker come from?
The last name Vilsecker is commonly found today throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is very rarely found anywhere else in the world, though there are some occurrences in the United States and other parts of Europe. In Europe, it is most commonly found in Bavaria and other parts of southern Germany, as well as in certain parts of Austria and Switzerland.
The name Vilsecker likely originated from either Bavaria or one of the other states in the region. It has an etymology grounded in Germanic history, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name likely evolved from the Latin term “villa secunda”, meaning a second estate or garden.
Though there are some Vilseckers living in the United States, making up less than 1% of the population, they are mainly descended from recent immigrants from Germany and other parts of Europe. Similarly, there may be people in other countries outside Europe who share this surname, but it is much more common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Vilsecker
The surname Vilsecker (or Vilzecher, Vilseker, Wilsacker) is of both German and Jewish origin. It is a southwest German dialectic and Bavarian locational name of endogamous character, deriving from the same place of origin. The surname is derived from Wilsingen, a place in Bavaria.
The original spelling of the surname was Vilser, which is still used today as both a first name and a last name. This was adopted in America in the late 19th century, from the English pronunciation of the German village name Vilsecker. The spelling Wilsaker is also common in America today, as is the spelling Vilsecker.
The variant spellings Wilser, Wilser, Wilsur and Wilsar are found in Germany, but it is the spelling Vilsecker which is predominant in America. The modern forms of these spellings can also be found in many German-speaking countries, and in parts of Switzerland.
In the Jewish population, the names Vilsecker and its variants would generally be spelled with a "CK" ending, as K and CK are the German equivalents of "ch". Other variants are Vilseck, Vilsec, Wilsacker, Wilseker, and sometimes Vilser in America and other countries.
Various Archival sources from Bavaria and Swabia show that communities of Vilsecker, Wilsacker, Wilser and Wilser are to be found in Bavaria and Swabia, though migration of these families to other regions, both within Germany and internationally, has diluted the name somewhat.
Famous people with the name Vilsecker
- Adalbert Vilsecker (1877-1949), German historian.
- Werner Vilsecker (1927-2019), German political scientist and economist.
- Paul Vilsecker (1866-1928), Austrian painter.
- Erich Vilsecker (1890-1959), German botanist and plant taxonomist.
- Gerd Adolf Vilsecker (1934-1994), German educational scientist and philosopher.
- Klaus Vilsecker (1945-2017), German politician.
- Ulrich Vilsecker ((born 1945), German astronomer.
- Martin Vilsecker (born 1947), Swiss classical philologist.
- Günter Vilsecker (born 1948), German politician.
- Dieter Vilsecker (born 1958), German diplomat.
- Ulf Vilsecker (born 1961), German professor of geophysics.
- Andreas Vilsecker (born 1963), German forensic scientist.
- Heinz Vilsecker (born 1965), German physics professor.
- Robert Vilsecker (born 1968), German cyclist.
- Benjamin Vilsecker (born 1993), German footballer.