RE: Wegner and Wegener, was: RE: Expressman

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meaning "cartwright"). Presumably, names of Low German origin would
be less common in Austria than in northern Germany. Other Wagner
variants, according to this page, are Waegner, Waehner, Wahner,
Wehner, and Weiner.

In the case of Jews with the names Wegner, Wagner, etc., it is far more
likely to mean a cart-driver than a cartwright.

In English, we have two words: "wagoner" or "waggoner" (meaning a
cart-*driver*) and "wainwright"
(meaning a cart-*maker* -- he medieval English word "wain" being
cognate with German "Wagen"). From the well-known Yiddish term
"balagula", it is clear that Jews tended to be cart-drivers rather than
wainwrights. (As we know, in the middle ages, Jews were barred from
joining artisan guilds of any kind -- which would presumably include
the Wainwrights' Guild). Therefore, I continue to think that the name
Wegner and its variants, when used as a Jewish surname, reflects
"balagula", a cart-driver.

However, given the thousands of Gentile Wegners in the German phone
books, it may well be that among gentiles the name Wegner did meant
wainwright rather than cartdriver. (Perhaps some medieval German expert
can enlighten us.)

Judith Romney Wegner
jrw@xxxxxxxxx

---
Sender: "Wegner, Peter" <Peter_Wegner@xxxxxxxxx>
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