indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Type Political Subdivision & Region
Other Forms FormsWirtenbenc, Wirtemberg, Wirtenberc, Wirtenberg, Würtemberg, Wurtemberg
Meaning & History
Etymology uncertain. Originally referred to a castle near Stuttgart, and increased its scope as the owners increased their possessions. Scholars have rejected the derivation Wirth am Berg, meaning "innkeeper/host on the hill/mountain". Some derive it from a proper name Wiruto or Wirtino, others from a Latinised version of a Celtic place name, Virolunum or Verdunum. Württemberg was a region in Germany, roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia, until 1945. It is now part of Badem-Württemberg.