from what place or origin or source; "whence did he come?"; "whence comes this splendid feast?"; "sketches the lawless society whence the ballads sprang"-DeLancey Ferguson
[ 'hwer, 'hwar, 'wer, 'war, (")( ] (adverb.) before 12th century. Middle English, from Old English hw[AE]r; akin to Old High German hwAr where, Old English hwA who; more at WHO.