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Wind (surname)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wind
Pronunciation/ˈwɪnd/
Language(s)Old English
Origin
Meaning"speedy as wind"
Region of originEngland
Other names
Variant form(s)Wynde

Wind is a topographical surname, of English origin, for someone who lived near a pathway, alleyway, or road.[1][2] It is most popular in North East England, especially in Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland.[3] The surname is also popular in the Netherlands and Denmark. The surname has several spellings including Waind, Wind, Wynd, Wain and Wean.[4]

Origins

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Wind originates from the pre-7th century Old English gewind. It describes either a person who lived in a particularly windy area such as North East England or a "winding" road. In medieval times Wind was possibly given to a speedy runner or messenger.

The surname Wind was first found in Lancashire, a ceremonial county in North West England, at Windle with Hardshaw, a township, in the parish and union of Prescot, hundred of West Derby. "Before the reign of John, Windhull gave name to a family, of whom was Edusa, widow of Alan de Windhull, who obtained from that king a summons for her dower against Alan de Windhull, son of the former."[5]

Incidence, frequency and rank in area

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According to Forebears.io, the highest incidence of the Wind surname can be found in the United States, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark.[6]

Caption text
Country Incidence Frequency Rank in area
United States 3,778 1:95,939 10,736
Germany 3,135 1:25,680 3,398
the Netherlands 2,868 1:3,336 636
Denmark 1,692 1:3,336 281

Notable people with the surname

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References

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  1. ^ Percy Hide Reaney; Richard Middlewood Wilson (1991). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 1784–. ISBN 978-0-415-05737-0. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Wind Family History". Ancestry.com.
  3. ^ "Distribution of the surname Wind in the UK". UK Surname Map.
  4. ^ "Wind". Surname Data Base.
  5. ^ "Wind Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". January 2000.
  6. ^ "Wind Surname". Forebears.io. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
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