Surname Wailand - Meaning and Origin

Wailand: What does the surname Wailand mean?

The last name Wailand is of German origin and is derived from a nickname created for a wanderer. This name is composed of two basic German elements—the word 'wal' meaning 'foreigner,' and 'land,' meaning 'country,' suggesting that the original bearer of the name was a foreign national or a traveler who had made frequent journeys.

Alternative spellings for the surname include Wandel, Waendle, Waendl, Waendlel, and Wandelmann. This indicates how the name was likely pronounced when it was first used centuries ago.

Wailand families are most commonly found in the Baden-Württemberg region of southwestern Germany, although this surname is likely present in other global locations as well. In 1876, there was a church record for a marriage between Richmond Wailand and Phiippina Blake in the state of Ohio.

Showing that courage and great adventure have long been values embraced by the people of the Wailand family, the Mariner and Adventurers Club offered a gold medal to Friedrich Wailand, a German seaman, in April 1920 for his rescue of his crewmates during a storm in the Baltic Sea.

The Wailand name may not be as common as those of other Germanic origin, but its bearer is sure to capture an adventurous spirit with a fun and creative twist.

Wailand: Where does the name Wailand come from?

The last name Wailand is found primarily in the United States. Wailand is commonly known as an Americanization of the more common last name Walden, which of German-Jewish origin.

In the United States, Wailand is the 19,873rd most common surname. This means it is fairly uncommon, but not overly rare. The greatest concentrations of this surname are located in Texas, California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Outside of the United States, Wailand is found most commonly in Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

The earliest recorded instance of the Wailand surname is found in a German census from 1723, recorded in the city of Hannover, Germany.

The record shows a Jacob Wailand, born in 1690 in Harbsmann, Germany. Assuming he was at least 25 at the time, this places his birth year somewhere around 1665, making this the earliest known instance of this surname.

Wailand is a relatively uncommon last name, but is nonetheless found in multiple English-speaking countries. Its earliest known usage can be traced to Germany in the 1700s, and today it is most common in the United States.

Variations of the surname Wailand

The surname Wailand is derived from a Germanic first name Wakeland, which originated from the Old English phrase wæcland, meaning “watch-land.”

Variants of this surname include Waland, Waeland, Waelande, Waelant, Wailand, Walland, Waelland, Wayland, Widland, and Wyland.

Spelling variations of this surname are Waland, Weland, Weiland, Weylund, Wieland, Willand, and Wullant.

Some variants and spellings of the surname may have other origins, such as Waller ( German), and Wohlgemut (German).

Additionally, Wailand may be an Americanized form of foreign surnames, such as Vayland or Woyland (German), or a surname that was altered by immigration officials upon entry to the United States. Furthermore, the surname may be a patronymic of the first names Ualand (Dutch) and Waland (Norwegian).

Surnames of similar origin include Wadland, Wadeland, Wakelan, Wakenight, Wakland, Wallen, Wallin, Walling, Walwin, Wegener, Weiland, Weilen, Wellen, Welling, Welty, Wendlin, Wening, Wicland, Wicklan, Wieden, Wiland, Willen, and Wylen.

Famous people with the name Wailand

• Peter Waveland: Activist for LGBTQ+ rights in Indiana, USA.
• Louis Waveland: Former NFL linebacker who played for the Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers.
• Farhad Waveland: Venture capitalist and business angel.
• Emily Waveland: Co-founder of the popular YouTube channel "AsapSCIENCE".
• Benedict Waveland: Academy Award winning filmmaker who has worked on films like "Ex Machina" and "The Revenant".
• Stephen Waveland: Author of several books on the paranormal and spiritualism.
• Cindy Waveland: Miss Maryland USA 2015.
• Francisco Waveland: Former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, and Tampa Bay Rays.
• Mark Waveland: Former weatherman for Indianapolis-based WTHR television station.
• John Waveland: Scientist and professor of entomology and plant pathology at Purdue University.

Other surnames

Wailandt