Wimmer

Recorded today in the spellings of Wimlett, Wimlet, Wimmer, Wimmers, and Wymer, but originally only recorded in the latter spelling, this is a very rare English surname. However spelt it is a derivative form of the pre 7th century Anglo-Saxon personal name 'Wigmar' or the slightly later Breton 'Wimarch'. The former was a name brought from Germany in the 6th century, and the latter an 'introduction' by the Norman-French at the 1066 Invasion of England. The Anglo-Saxon name translates as 'war-famous' and the latter 'worthy-horse', both suitable names for 'invaders'. However after the 12th century they became assimilated in a single form of 'Wymer', firstly as a personal name and then itself a popular surname. A short form of 'Wim' developed as a personal name in the 14th century, and from this developed the later surname forms with the addition of the diminutive suffix ending 'et(t)', or sometimes 'ot(t). Both are short versions of the French word 'petit' to give a translation of 'Little Wim' or perhaps 'son of Wim'. As Wymer the surname first appears in the Hundred Rolls of the county of Cambridge in the year 1273, when one John Wymer is recorded. The diminutives are later and rarer with Amy Wimlet appearing in the church register of St James', Dukes Place, city of London, on April 1st 1693 when she married Edward Long, and Wlliam Wimlet, a witness at St Giles Cripplegate, also city of London, on July 8th 1702.