Wemyss Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Wemyss last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Wemyss last name
Meaning of the Wemyss last name: caves. Wemyss is a Scottish surname from Wemyss in Fife, from Gaelic uamh, "cave", after the caves on the shore. It is pronounced "weems". The family of Wemyss Castle became Earls of Wemyss, and the last name also appears as Weems in America.
Arms associated with the Wemyss name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Wemyss name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Wemyss family history
This is only a glimpse of the Wemyss story. The full Wemyss history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Wemyss coat of arms. Get the full Wemyss report.
Wemyss name FAQ
What does the Wemyss name mean?
Caves. Common variants include Weems, Weemes.
Where does the Wemyss surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Wemyss coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Wemyss coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).