# Waering

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**Waering** is a [Germanic](/source/Germanic_languages) surname. Although Grant Allen[1] and Isaac Taylor[2] described *Wæring* as an [Anglo-Saxon](/source/Anglo-Saxons) clan name equivalent to the [Norse](/source/Norsemen) *Væringjar* ([autonym](/source/Endonym_and_exonym) of the [Varangians](/source/Varangians)), the eminent British [philologist](/source/Philology) Walter William Skeat suggested that it might be a [patronymic](/source/Patronymic).[3]

## Etymology and history

*Væringi* (the singular of *Væringjar*) was originally a compound of two words. *[Vár](/source/V%C3%A1r)* means 'pledge' or 'faith' and is the name of the Norse god of oaths. It is cognate with the Anglo-Saxon noun w*ǽr* (meaning 'fidelity,' 'protection,' 'agreement,' 'pledge,' 'promise' or 'bond of friendship*').* *Gengi* means 'companion' and is cognate with the Anglo-Saxon *genga* of the same meaning.[4][5][6] Thus, the two together mean 'sworn companion' or 'confederate.' According to Danish Slavist Adolf Stender-Petersen, it means 'men who engage in a pursuit in a relationship of mutual responsibility,' but another theory is that it refers to someone who enters into the service or comes under the protection of a new lord by an oath of [fealty](/source/Fealty).[7] Members of the [Varangian Guard](/source/Varangian_Guard), elite Anglo-Saxon or Norse bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperor, took such an oath. Some scholars, including linguist [Elof Hellquist](/source/Elof_Hellquist), assume a derivation from *vár* with the suffix *-ing* (that is to say, without *gengi)*.[8][9][10] However, the reduction of *gengi* to *-ing* could parallel that seen in Old Norse *foringi* ('leader'), cognate with Anglo-Saxon *foregenga* ('forerunner,' 'predecessor,' 'ancestor' or 'attendant').[11][12]

[Walter William Skeat](/source/Walter_William_Skeat) suggested that the name might be the source of the respective names of the English town and county of [Warwick](/source/Warwick), [Warwickshire](/source/Warwickshire), which are documented as having been *Wærincwīc*/*Wæringwīc* and *Wæringscīr* respectively in Anglo-Saxon.[3][a] [Isaac Taylor](/source/Isaac_Taylor) was more firmly of this opinion.[2] [Grant Allen](/source/Grant_Allen) similarly places the Wærings at [Warrington](/source/Warrington).[1] However, others see *Warwick* and *Warrington* as being derived from the Anglo-Saxon word *wæring*[13] or *wering*,[14] which mean a 'wall' or '[bank](/source/Rampart_(fortification))'—with *wering* carrying the additional meaning of 'dam' and, hence, '[weir](/source/Weir).'

The English surnames *[Waring](/source/Waring),* *[Wareing](/source/Wareing)* and *[Wearing](/source/Wearing_(surname))* may be of the same derivation as *Waering*. However, Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley, author of *A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames*, and others[15] assert that *Waring* and *Wareing* are derived from the [Norman](/source/Norman_language) *Warin* (meaning to 'guard' or 'protect' in [Frankish](/source/Frankish_language)), Bardsley asserts that the *g* was added through a process of [excrescence](/source/Epenthesis) akin to *Jennin* becoming *Jenning*.[16][17] Skeat accused Bardsley of confusing *Wæring* with *Warin*, pointing out that "both the original vowel and the suffix differ." [Thomas William Shore](/source/Thomas_William_Shore) used the spelling *Waring* for the Varangians, calling them a "mixed race," mentioning a possible connection to the Germanic [Warini](/source/Warini) people, and locating their homeland on the southwest shore of the Baltic Sea.[18] That location also aligns with Vesevolod Merkulov's identification of the Varangians with the Slavic [Wagri](/source/Wagri) people.[19]

In any case, *Væringi* entered into Medieval Latin as *Varangus* and was borrowed into Slavic languages and Greek as a result, respectively, of Varangian rule over Kievan Rus' and their service in the Varangian Guard. The guard was initially exclusively Scandinavian, but exiled Anglo-Saxon mercenaries began to dominate it after the Norman Conquest of England. The Russian *varyag* ('a peddler') and the Ukrainian *varjah* ('a big strong man') are both derived from *Varangus*.[20]

## Spelling in other languages

The predominant spelling of the surname in modern Danish and Norwegian, *Væring* (more rarely *Wæring*), means a 'Varangian' in both of those languages.[21][22] Omitting *Waring,* *Wareing* and *Wearing* as contested, *Waering* is the principal spelling in both English and German,[23] and the surname also appears as *Wäring* in both German[24][25] and Swedish. In the latter language, it can likewise be written as *[Väring](/source/V%C3%A4ring)*, which is also the name of a locality in [Skövde Municipality](/source/Sk%C3%B6vde_Municipality). All of these spellings are equivalent in their various alphabets. Both the Dano-Norwegian *[æ](/source/%C3%86)* and the German and Swedish *[ä](/source/%C3%84)* represent the combination of the letters *a* and *e*.[26] The letters *w* and *v* used to be considered identical in the Scandinavian languages.[27][28] In [Swedish orthography](/source/Swedish_orthography), *w* was used specifically in the [Fraktur](/source/Fraktur) [typeface](/source/Typeface) to indicate indigenous words pronounced with the [voiced labiodental fricative](/source/Voiced_labiodental_fricative) (the "v-sound"). Since the abandonment of Fraktur, *w* appears mainly in loanwords, as well as in some indigenous, w-holdover surnames.[29] This is similar to Danish, in which the interfiling of *v* and *w* (as if they were the same letter) was only [deprecated](/source/Deprecation) in 1980.[30] Norwegian uses *v* for the voiced labiodental fricative even in most loanwords, but some indigenous surnames likewise continue to be spelled with *w*.[31]

## Source of names in paleontology

A famous bearer of this surname was the renowned Cuban-born Norwegian-American paleontologist who published under the [pen name](/source/Pen_name) *Erik Norman Kjellesvig-Waering*. He was born Erik Norman Kjellesvig, a Norwegian citizen, son of Magne Kjellesvig. His 1938 United States naturalization record notes that he was also known as *Erik Norman Waering*,[32] the name appearing on his 1940 draft registration and 1956 marriage certificate. *Erik K. Waering* appears on his gravestone and Florida death record.[33] The *[Waeringopterus](/source/Waeringopterus)* genus of [eurypterids](/source/Eurypterid), a group of extinct aquatic [arthropods](/source/Arthropod), is named for him.[34] The genus is part of the *[Waeringopteridae](/source/Waeringopteridae)* family and *Waeringopteroidae* super family. There is also a genus of [fusulinida](/source/Fusulinida) named *Waeringella*.[35]

## List of notable people with the surname

- [Astrid Väring](/source/Astrid_V%C3%A4ring) (1892–1978), Swedish writer and journalist[36]
- [Erik Norman Kjellesvig-Waering](/source/Erik_Norman_Kjellesvig-Waering) (1912–1979), Norwegian-American paleontologist[37]
- [Jennie Waering](/source/Jennie_Waering), Assistant United States Attorney[38]
- [Olaf Martin Peder Væring](/source/Olaf_Martin_Peder_V%C3%A6ring) (1837–1906), Norwegian photographer and founder of the Fotoarkiv O. Væring[39]
- [Trinelise Væring](/source/Trinelise_V%C3%A6ring), Danish singer and songwriter[40]

## Notes

1. The letter *w* didn't exist in the Anglo-Saxon alphabet, so those names were written with the letter [wynn](/source/Wynn): *Ƿærincƿīc*/*Ƿæringƿīc* and *Ƿæringscīr.*

## References

1. Allen, Grant (1910). [*Anglo-Saxon Britain*](http://archive.org/details/anglosaxonbritai01alle). New York, E. S. Gorham. p. 194.

1. Taylor, Isaac (1898). [*Names and Their Histories: A Handbook of Historical Geography and Topographical Nomenclature (entry for "Warwick")*](https://books.google.com/books?id=vqgYAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA291). Rivingtons. p. 291.

1. ["A List of Anglo-Saxon Names Still in Use as Surnames."](https://archive.org/details/transact071000philuoft/page/n89/mode/2up). *Transactions of the Philological Society*. **26** (1): 82. 1907. [doi:10.1111/j.1467-968X.1907.tb00509.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-968X.1907.tb00509.x). [ISSN 1467-968X](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1467-968X)

1. Parducci, Domenico (2007). ["Gli stranieri nell'alto medioevo : Appunti sul cap. 367 dell'Edictum Rothari"](http://www.glossa.fi/mirator/pdf/i-2007/glistranierinellaltomedioevo.pdf). *Mirator*. **8** (1): 1–10.

1. Parducci, Domenico (2007). ["Abstract: Foreigners in the Early Middle Ages: notes on ch. 367 of the Edictum Rothari"](http://www.glossa.fi/mirator/pdf/i-2007/glistranierinellaltomedioevoabstract.pdf). *Mirator*. **8** (1): 11.

1. Jan de Vries (1977). [*Altnordisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch*](http://archive.org/details/nordischesetymologischesworterbuch). pp. 163, 671–672.

1. Blöndal, S. & Benedikz, B. (1978). *The Varangians of Byzantium*. p. 4.

1. Hellquist, Elof (1922). [*Svensk etymologisk ordbok*](https://runeberg.org/svetym/1184.html) (in Swedish). p. 1096.

1. Hellquist, Elof (1922). [*Svensk etymologisk ordbok*](https://runeberg.org/svetym/1260.html). p. 1172.

1. Vasmer, M. (1953). *Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, vol. 1*. p. 171.

1. Falk, Hjalmar Sejersted & Torp, Alf (1910). [*Norwegisch-dänisches etymologisches Wörterbuch.*](http://archive.org/details/norwegischdnis02falkuoft). Heidelberg C. Winter. pp. 1403–1404.

1. [Bugge, Sophus](/source/Sophus_Bugge), *[Arkiv för nordisk filologi](https://runeberg.org/anf/1885/0229.html)* 2 (1885), p. 225

1. Bosworth, Joseph (1838). [*A Dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon Language*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oH9FAAAAcAAJ&pg=RA7-PA436). Longman. p. 436.

1. Bosworth, Joseph (1838). [*A Dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon Language*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oH9FAAAAcAAJ&pg=RA7-PA454). Longman. p. 454.

1. Reaney, Percy Hide (1997). *A Dictionary of English Surnames*. 3rd ed. Wilson, Richard Middlewood (ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 476.

1. Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell (1901). [*A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances*](https://books.google.com/books?id=e85rAAAAMAAJ&dq=surname%20dictionary%20waring&pg=PA793). H. Frowde. p. 793. ISBN 978-0-8063-0022-1.

1. ["Kate Monk's Onomastikon (Dictionary of Names) : Medieval Names of Norman/Germanic Origin"](https://tekeli.li/onomastikon/England-Medieval/Norman.html). *tekeli.li*. Retrieved 2021-12-03.

1. Shore, Thomas William; Shore, Thomas William; Shore, Louis Erle (1906). [*Origin of the Anglo-Saxon race : a study of the settlement of England and the tribal origin of the Old English people*](http://archive.org/details/originofanglosax00shoruoft). London : E. Stock. pp. 36–37.

1. Merkulov, Vsevolod (2014). ["Ost-Holstein – die Heimat der altrussischen Waräger"](https://www.academia.edu/8259918). *Federkiel*. **10**: 4–9.

1. ["Etymology, origin and meaning of the name varangian"](https://www.etymonline.com/word/varangian). *www.etymonline.com*. Retrieved 2021-12-04.

1. ["væring"](https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=v%C3%A6ring). *Den Danske Ordbog*. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. Andersen, Lars (2003). *Væringene*. Ascheboug. ISBN 9788203187162.

1. ["Distribution of surname WAERING"](https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/en/WAERING.html). *Germany Surname Map*. Retrieved 2021-11-29.

1. [*Die Wikingszüge: 1*](https://books.google.com/books?id=JQtYAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA301) (in German). Perthes. 1839. p. 301.

1. ["Distribution of surname WÄRING"](https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/en/W%C4RING.html). *Germany Surname Map*. Retrieved 2021-11-29.

1. ["Swedish"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220101224608/https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/dictionary/s/swedish). *A Dictionary of the Art of Printing*. Archived from [the original](https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/dictionary/s/swedish) on 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. Fischer, Bill (2019-02-12). ["All You Need to Know about the Swedish Alphabet"](https://www.clozemaster.com/blog/swedish-alphabet/). *Clozemaster Blog*. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. ["W Joins the Swedish Alphabet"](https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/843139). *Sveriges Radio*. 2006-04-24. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. ["Forum - Duolingo"](https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/23797646/The-letter-W). *forum.duolingo.com*. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. ["Dansk biografisk Lexikon / XVIII. Bind. Ubbe - Wimpffen"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/18/). 2021-10-20. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211020145737/http://runeberg.org/dbl/18/) 2021-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. Flom, George T. (1918). ["Norwegian Surnames : With Special Reference to Orthography and Foreign Influence"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/40915044). *Scandinavian Studies and Notes*. **5** (4): 139–154. [ISSN 1544-2063](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1544-2063). [JSTOR 40915044](https://www.jstor.org/stable/40915044)

1. Kjellesvig, Eric Norman. ["Naturalization Index for the Western District of Missouri, compiled ca. 1930 - ca. 1986, documenting the period ca. 1848 - ca. 1986. ARC: 572253; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; The National Archives at Kansas City. Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A."](https://search.ancestrylibrary.ca/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2494&h=25006&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=8784). *Ancestry Library Edition*. Retrieved 2022-01-02.

1. ["Erik Norman Kjellesvig Waering (1912–1979)"](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142450026/erik-norman_kjellesvig-waering). *Find-A-Grave*. Retrieved 2021-12-04.

1. Ciurca, Samuel J. (May 2009). ["Eurypterids Specimen of the Month : A Little of This, A Little of That"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220101195032/http://eurypterids.net/EurypteridMonth10.html). *Eurypterids.net*. Archived from [the original](http://eurypterids.net/EurypteridMonth10.html) on 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. ["Foraminifera : Waeringella Thompson, 1942 †"](http://www.marinespecies.org/foraminifera/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=721798). *World Foraminifera Database*. Retrieved 2022-01-02.

1. ["Astrid Väring (1892-12-15 – 1978-03-22), author, debater"](http://skbl.se/en/article/AstridVaring). *Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon*. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

1. ["Vita : Erik Norman Kjellesvig-Waering"](https://archive.org/details/palaeontographic5556198688pale/page/n13/mode/2up?view=theater). *Palaeontographica Americana*. **55**: 3. March 18, 1986.

1. Sturgeon, Jeff (2018-09-28). ["Retiring federal prosecutor plans further pursuit of justice"](https://roanoke.com/business/retiring-federal-prosecutor-plans-further-pursuit-of-justice/article_cf8ad61d-c08e-5f82-9a1b-abe506227730.html). *Roanoke Times*. Retrieved 2021-11-29.

1. Pihl, Roger (2021-11-30), ["Olaf Væring"](http://snl.no/Olaf_V%C3%A6ring) (in nb), *Store norske leksikon*, retrieved 2022-01-01

1. ["Bio UK : Trinelise Væring – Singer and songwriter"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220101182657/https://www.vaering.com/bio-uk/). *Trinelise Væring : official website*. Archived from [the original](https://www.vaering.com/bio-uk/) on 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-01.

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