Webber

WEB-er

An English occupational surname meaning “weaver,” essentially a native form of Weber.

The #1,335 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 11,693 Americans shares it.

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Etymology

Webber comes from the old word for a weaver. The English form is usually explained from Old English and Middle English words built on web, meaning “woven cloth” or “web,” with Webber as an occupational name for someone who made fabric. The related German surname Weber has the same meaning, and some sources treat Webber as the native English equivalent.

History

Medieval records show early forms such as le Webber, which fit the common pattern of occupational bynames becoming surnames. Over time, the spelling Webber remained in use, though Webster became the more common English occupational surname in some areas. The name is still found in England and the English-speaking world, and is especially familiar in places where occupational surnames remained stable.

Origin

occupationalOld EnglishMiddle EnglishGerman

Regions

EnglandGerman-speaking areas

Variant spellings

WeberWebbWebsterWebber

Fun fact

Older surname books note that Webber could be treated as the English counterpart of German Weber, both meaning a weaver.

From the historical record

“Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 362. WEBBER (Eng.) Weaver [M.E. mebberfe, O.E. webbere] WEBER (Ger.) Weaver : v. the Appendix of Foreign Names. WEBLEY (Eng.) Dweller at the Webb's or Weaver's Lea [v. under Webb, and -f-”

— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)

Related surnames

Confidence: mixed. Sources: Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1), Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan).

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