FS needs more accurate information about my surname

LegacyUser

Richard Bruce Wheeler said: What does your last name say about you? The information given seems to be lacking and perhaps incorrect. The story behind my surname is far more interesting than the information given by FS.

I suggest that we be given a way to add or correct the information given in the "What does your last name say about you?" topic on the front page.

LegacyUser

Paul said: Richard

The source for the meaning provided (A Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges 1990, 2003, 2006) is shown at the bottom of the page to which you are referring. I was unable to find any other meaning - other than maker of wheels / wheelwright - on any of the other websites I just checked out.

However, of course there are likely to be other explanations as to its origin, especially if it has been anglicised from another European surname.

Unfortunately, FamilySearch will be highly unlikely to extend this feature to include the option to add these alternative origins, as you are requesting.

LegacyUser

Richard Bruce Wheeler said: that is too bad since the truth is far more interesting.

https://archive.org/details/genealogi...

The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America
by Albert Gallatin Wheeler, American College of Genealogy, American College of Genealogy

pp ii and iii

see correct meaning and explanation of how names are derived

Also: https://forebears.io/surnames/weiler#...
good discussion on weiler

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: FamilySearch has limited resources. These kinds of information are provided more as an incentive to become engaged in researching the family.

If you want to include more information, then make use of the FamilySearch wiki, where you can reference (with a link) the original data, as well as provide research information on the family and spell out the different origins of the name.

You may have to request editing rights; those are usually granted within a couple of business days.

LegacyUser

A van Helsdingen said: The FS Wiki is not a encyclopedia of names, people and families. Articles should focus on places, records and genealogical topics. It would not be appropriate to start an article about a surname.

LegacyUser

Richard Bruce Wheeler said: I don't understand the "limited resources" comment. The info I have is far more likely to be an incentive to become engaged in researching the family.

LegacyUser

Juli said: Weiler is pronounced roughly "viler". I find it doubtful that it has anything to do with "Wheeler".

LegacyUser

Juli said: Mr. Albert Wheeler is wrong about the origins of Wheeler. It is from the Old English word for "wheel", and it means "wheel-maker". His supposed counterexamples of "Webster" and "Brewster" are in fact the feminine counterparts of "Webber" and "Brewer", which are derived exactly as expected from "web" and "brew", respectively. The reason there is no parallel "Wheelster" is that women did not typically engage in the manufacture of wheels.

LegacyUser

Richard Bruce Wheeler said: my family name came to England with the name "lucky warrior" not "wheel maker". Albert knows what he is talking about. We had nothing to do with making wheels.

LegacyUser

David Newton said: Maybe. However that is NOT the correct origin for the vast majority of people with that surname. It is an occupational surname with the same root as Wheelwright.

LegacyUser

Richard Bruce Wheeler said: vast majority? we will just have to agree to disagree. none of the wheelers that i have spoken to or otherwise come in contact with had any Wheelwrights in their family line. have a good day. enjoyed chatting on this issue.

LegacyUser

David Newton said: I didn't say that Wheelers would have Wheelwrights in the tree or vice versa. I said the surnames were both occupational with the same root. Same thing as the River Avons in England being really tautological in meaning with the same root as the Welsh word afon. Anything called River Avon is actually really the River River if the translation is used. Both avon and afon being the same word that's diverged skightly in spelling in different languages.

Similarly Wheelers and Wheelwrights are descended from people who made wheels. Since they're occupationally-derived surnames then by definition they have multiple root points and aren't actually one family.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: Limited Resources refers to available staff.