I just found out that the Winchester family name in Supernatural is synonymous with this real-life mystery house in San Jose

Just when I think I have caught up on all the trivia for Supernatural, something or the other just pops up.

After some sleuthing, I discovered that the family name Winchester from Eric Kripke's popular horror series is actually synonymous with a real-life mystery house in San Jose, California.

While Kripke wanted to name the brother duo something else, he was eventually drawn to Winchester because it is also the name of a very popular rifle company from the 19th century.

However, the similarities don't end here. The Winchester surname also has a paranormal connotation to the haunted mystery mansion in California, built by Sarah Winchester (the heiress of the Winchester rifle company).

The mystery of this mansion has fascinated many for years, and it was also adapted into the 2018 horror mystery movie Winchester, starring Helen Mirren.

More on the Winchester Mystery House and Supernatural in our story.

I just found out the origin story of the Winchester surname from Supernatural

While the Winchester surname is now perpetually associated with the monster-hunting brother duo Sam and Dean from Supernatural, a real-life mystery also surrounds the famous surname.

While deciding on a surname for the monster-hunting brother duo, Kripke initially decided on Harrison in honor of Harrison Ford's Han Solo from the Star Wars movies. Kripke wanted his character Dean to have the "devil-may-care swagger of Han Solo" (via Wikipedia), so he initially decided on the surname Harrison.

However, Supernatural could not adopt the Harrison surname due to legal reasons. There was already a Sam Harrison living in Kansas, forcing Kripke to think of another family name.

Since he wanted Supernatural to feel like "a modern-day Western," he was naturally inclined towards Winchester. He was also fascinated by the famous 19th-century rifle and gun company and the Winchester Mystery House, both of which perfectly aligned with the show's aesthetic.

The legend goes back to 1886 in San Jose, California, when Sarah Winchester bought a Victorian and Gothic-style mansion, which she kept renovating until 1922 (until her death).

Sarah was an architectural designer, and as history and urban legends go, she was a mentally disturbed and delusional woman who believed that the mansion was haunted by the spirits of vengeful souls killed by her husband's guns.

After her whole family died in a plague, she became obsessed with the Winchester Mansion and was convinced that a medium told her that if she ever stopped building it, the vengeful spirits would come after her. The house was under constant construction for 36 years until Sarah died in 1922.

While there are no confirmed sources about the credibility of this story, it is still prevalent and fascinating to many people (including Kripke) and has thus become an urban legend.

Sam and Dean often used rifles and guns in the show to hunt monsters, and they frequented many haunted houses, which made the Winchester surname perfect for the show.

While the Harrison surname was also a good choice and paid tribute to the veteran star, I am glad the creators stumbled upon Winchester. Not only does the surname have a vintage American touch, but the paranormal connotations make it even more interesting.

The Winchester brothers from Supernatural are an iconic brother duo on the small screen now, and this mysterious family name just adds to their charm.

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