Surname Wile - Meaning and Origin
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Wile: What does the surname Wile mean?
The last name Wile is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is thought to have derived from prior to the 10th century when old English was used. During this period, surnames were developing across Europe. It is thought that the family originally lived in a part of the country where a wile was a body of water.
The Wile surname is associated with two distinct sources. The first is that it is a topographical name which identifies someone by where they live or where they are from, in this case, near a wile. The second is that it is an occupational surname, given to someone who worked with wiles, such as a fisherman or a boatman.
The Wile family is thought to have first mentioned in the County of Wiltshire in Southern England, in the 13th century. It is also found in various different spellings including Wiles, Wileson and Wyles. Some variants of the name Wile came from the Farmonyc name Wulfie which originated from the Middle English word wulf meaning “wolf”.
Today, the surname Wile is found in many different cultures across the world and is often linked with professions such as farming, fishing or boatmanship. It is also commonly used as a given name as well as a surname. The Wile family name is commonly linked with areas such as Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Germany and the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisWile: Where does the name Wile come from?
The last name Wile is particularly common in certain parts of the United States, although it may be found in smaller concentrations elsewhere around the world.
In the U.S., Wile is most commonly found in Pennsylvania, where it ranked as the 312th most common name between 2000 and 2010 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It is also fairly common in the states of Ohio and West Virginia. In Ohio, Wile was the 583th most common name as of 2018, while in West Virginia it was the 1,823th most popular.
Elsewhere in the world, Wile is much less common, although it is still present in small numbers in many countries. In Canada, it was the 3,166th most popular surname as of 2016. In Germany, it ranked as the 6,035th most common name in 2014. It can also be found in small numbers in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
Though less common than in the U.S., the last name Wile is still present to some degree in many countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Wile
The surname Wile is an anglicized version of the German name Wille. The other variants of this name include Wille, Wielle, Wiyler, Wiler, Wylle, Willer, Wiehl, Wiehle, Wiyhler, Wilhel, Wylla, Wyhler, and Wyller.
In certain cases, the surname Wile may be a variant of other surnames, such as Wiley, Wyle, Willey, Willy, and Wilie.
The surname Wile is derived from the German name Willa, which is a diminutive of the name Wilhelm. It is a personal name derived from the Germanic elements "wil" (will, desire) and "helm" (helmet, protection). The name originally referred to someone who was passionate or determined.
The surname Wile has been found in records dating back to the 13th century in Germany, with references to a Herman de Willa in the year 1298 and a Johannes de Willen in 1337. The anglicised form of the name is more commonly found in the United States, with the earliest attestations of the name being found in records in the 1630s in the colony of Virginia.
Notably, the Wile surname is also found in the areas of Friesland, Brandenberg, and in East Prussia. The variant Wyller can also be found in the Netherlands. In Scotland, the name Wylie is also found.
Famous people with the name Wile
- Steven Wile: Canadian speed skater who competed in three events at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
- Sanders Wile: Former Canadian football player who played in the Canadian Football League.
- John Wile: Welsh professional footballer who played for Aston Villa, Rochdale, Stoke City, and many other teams.
- Larry Wile: Former NFL running back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams.
- Caleb Wile: Professional wrestler currently competing for All Elite Wrestling.
- David Wile: acclaimed American musician and broadcaster who is also the author of the book "Music Appreciation with David Wile".
- Zakk Wylde: Musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and his own band Black Label Society.
- Antwan Wile: Rap artist and record producer who has released two albums titled 'One 9 Five' and 'Natural Born Hustler'.
- Shana Wile: Canadian actress and singer who has appeared in films such as 'Orange Is the New Black', 'Happy in the Valley', and 'Bunheads.'
- Kim Wile: Country music singer who has released two albums titled 'Brighter Side of Heaven' and 'My Truth'.