Surname Jungwirt - Meaning and Origin

Jungwirt: What does the surname Jungwirt mean?

The last name Jungwirt is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word “junwirt”, meaning “young master” or “junior warden”. Traditionally, the name Jungwirt was used to denote someone who held a junior wardenship, which usually involved leadership and management roles. This could have been either in a public or private sector organization, and it could be permanently or temporary, such as a tenure.

In modern times, the name Jungwirt is still fairly common in Germany, although it has also spread to other countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. At present, it is used to refer to someone who may not hold a wardenship position, but instead is associated with someone possessing the qualities of a good leader and leader of men. The name is still of importance, and implies someone who takes charge and commands respect.

For this reason, the Jungwirt family name continues to symbolize the qualities of leadership, organization, and management that were once associated with the title of Junior Warden in the Middle High German language. In its original context, the Jungwirt name was likely used to honor someone who had taken on a role of responsibility and leadership in a community, and these same characteristics are still significant in how the name is used today.

Jungwirt: Where does the name Jungwirt come from?

The last name Jungwirt is an occupational surname of German and Swiss-German origin. It is derived from the words ‘jung’ meaning ‘young’ and ‘wirt’ meaning ‘innkeeper.’ This last name is common today mainly in parts of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States.

In Germany, Jungwirt can commonly be found in Bavaria, the largest state in Germany, where it is most populous. It can also be found in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Hamburg, and Berlin. In Austria, Jungwirt is mainly seen in the states of Vienna and Styria. Austria was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and still has many German-speaking citizens, which could explain the spark of this surname in the area.

Switzerland is a highly populated area of Jungwirt as well. From the mountains of Bern to the valleys of Glarus, Jungwirt can be heard throughout Switzerland’s German-speaking areas. Jungwirt is also located in the United States, primarily in the Midwest states such as Illinois and Wisconsin, where immigrants of German and Swiss-German ancestry have settled.

Today, the surname Jungwirt remains fairly uncommon, although it has seen some uptick in recent years as people of German and Swiss-German descent have become more intermingled throughout the world. Overall, Jungwirt is most commonly found in the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States.

Variations of the surname Jungwirt

Jungwirt is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word ‘wirt’ meaning host or manager. Variants of this surname include Jungwirth, Jungwir, Yungwirth, Yungwirt, Kongwirth and Kongwirt.

The earliest known written record of the Jungwirt name is found in an old reference book titled "Der Reichsadler", which was published in Berlin, Germany, between 1583 and 1586. It contains an entry for a man named Hans Jungwirt, who was from the city of Ratisbon in Bavaria.

This surname has also been spelt differently in different parts of the world. Variations of the name include: Yunwert, Youngwerth, Jungerwerth, Jängerwerth, Jungwert, Junghardt, Junghard, Jungert and Jungard.

The most widespread variant found today is Jungwirt. This is the spelling used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world. Other variations of the surname, which are mainly found in the US, include Jungworth, Ungewirtz and Youngwirtz.

The surname has evolved over time with some families having branches with different spellings. For example, the Kongwirths are a branch of the Jungwirths. This dual spelling of the surname may have arisen when immigrants from the Germanic region traveled abroad and slightly altered their surnames to adapt to foreign pronunciation standards.

Due to Immigration, Jungwirt and its variants can now also be found in countries such as The United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Italy.

The surname Jungwirt may have derived from the ancient Germanic language, meaning “host of the young”, or even possibly “host of the new-comers”. It can also be seen as a sign of hospitality and positive business attitudes.

Famous people with the name Jungwirt

• Matt Jungwirt: an American professional soccer player for USL Championship's New York Red Bulls II.
• Sophia Jungwirt: a figure skater from Austria who won a bronze medal at the 2019 CS Hungary Trophy.
• Ernst Jungwirt: an Austrian classical pianist and the former artistic director of the “Wiener Kammermusikfest”.
• Gudrun Jungwirt: a German photographer who focuses on portrait and wedding photography.
• Florian Jungwirt: an Austrian ski jumper who competed in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup.
• Paul Jungwirt: an Austrian writer who won the 2013 Austrian Sports Award for literature.
• Bert Jungwirt: a former alpine skier from Austria who competed in the 1976 Winter Olympics.
• Elisabeth Jungwirt: a German actress, best known for her role in the film “Die Piraten”.
• Christoph Jungwirt: an Austrian artist, specializing in wooden sculptures.
• Andrea Jungwirt: an Austrian badminton player who competed at the World Badminton Championships in 2011.

Other surnames

Jungwirth