[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] East Prussia & surname 'Niewiera'

[Krampetz at aol.com]

Family Search added many records since the last time I'd searched for
my grandfather's name ("Osip - or Joseph, Niewiera).  
On his Ellis Island emigration in 1911, he declared himself  "Lithuanian, 
from Russia"  (My German gf gave "German from Russia" in 1904)
 
Previously the only Niewiera's I'd found were a few families in MA.  &  
R.I., 

Now Family Search list numerous Niewiera's -- all in  Germany's East 
Prussia.  
It makes sense as much of East Prussia comprises today's  Lithuania. 
( Unfortunately the few listed village names don't exist.   Is there a 
  list of early East Prussian village names vs current  names?)

I found;  many Niewiera's with German given names,   marriages between 
German surnames and a Niewiera, also German surname births to  wives
whose maiden name was Niewiera.
I read that East Prussia was 85%  German? (per  Wikipedia).  It's not 
clear how many Lithuanians remained  after Germans were  expelled
in 1945.  This list shows there was much inter-mixing  over the centuries.  

I have nothing more of my GF's  background,  what village, other family, 
etc. 
He met and married my  grandmother in Lida (today's Belarus .. quite a 
distance from Lithuania/East  Prusssia).  He died when my mother was 
quite young,  I haven't found only his death certificate in  1915.

I'm just surprised about finding so many of that surname in German 
records.   So the question,  is that (or was)  Niewiera a Germanic surname?