Wöhlers

Wöhlers is a German-language surname. The base form Wöhler is found in historical and contemporary records, and the plural form Wöhlers is used when referring to multiple people bearing the name. The name likely derives from the German element Wohl, meaning “well” or “prosperity,” with the suffix -er indicating origin or association.

Notable bearers and significance: The most prominent bearer is Friedrich Wöhler (1800–1882), a German chemist whose 1828 synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate demonstrated that organic compounds could be prepared from inorganic substances and helped establish modern organic chemistry. The Wöhler surname has appeared among scientists, writers, and other professionals, with individual biographies varying by region.

Distribution and usage: Today, Wöhlers (and the variant Wöhler without the plural) are most common in German-speaking areas such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as among descendants of emigrants in North America and elsewhere. In Anglophone contexts, the form Wohler is often used without the umlaut.

See also: Wöhler synthesis, the historical demonstration of organic synthesis attributed to Friedrich Wöhler.