Surname Böwe - Meaning and Origin
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Böwe: What does the surname Böwe mean?
The German surname Böwe is quite common, and it is known to originate from various locations around Germany. It is derived from the Middle High German word "boeme" which means "crooked" or "bent". This suggests that Böwe was likely taken on as a surname by someone with a bent or crooked characteristic, either literally or metaphorically.
The earliest record of this surname belonging to someone of importance is Otto Böwe, who was a city councilman in 1543 in Marburg. From there, spread the Böwe name throughout Germany, as well as to the United States and around the world. Variations of the name also exist, including Boehme, Boeme, Bouwe, and Böhme, which all likely originating from the same spelling.
The commonness of the surname in Germany suggests that people bearing the name may be closely related, likely related to a specific group of German immigrants who settled in one area. The name may have even been adopted by multiple families who originally had different surnames.
In general, the surname Böwe has an interesting origin. Given its widespread use, those with the last name are usually related in some way. Today, the name is a common surname with deep roots in Germany.
Order DNA origin analysisBöwe: Where does the name Böwe come from?
The last name Böwe is most commonly found in Germany today, particularly in the region of Brandenburg and Berlin. It is thought to have originated in Germany between the 11th and early 16th centuries, as a Group of people whose genes remain distinct, forming a sub-cluster within the wider German genetic pool. Böwe is derived from the German word “bauen” meaning “build”. It is believed that this name is derived from a profession such as builder or architect.
Today the Böwe surname can also be found in other regions in Europe such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, as well as in the United States, where it is mainly found in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York.
The Böwe name is commonly associated with various professions such as architects, builders, carpenters, and cabinetmakers. One of the most prominent people to bear the Böwe surname was the German architect Ernst Böwe, who designed the iconic Berlin Cathedral.
It is believed that the Böwe surname is still alive and prevalent in today's Germany, with the name carrying on and evolving with the times. It is a name tied to the building and construction industry, as well as to strong family ties and heritage that go back many centuries.
Variations of the surname Böwe
The surname Böwe has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These variants are Böeh, Boeh, Boie, and Böe.
The variant Böeh is derived from the German word böhe, which was used to describe a gentrified version of the common surname Beyer. It is a variant of the Old German bewer meaning "brewer." It had an even more ancient origin in the Germanic language, as evidenced by some of its older spellings. To modernise the surname, the spelling of Böeh was adopted around the turn of the 20th century.
The spelling Boeh is an Americanised variant of Böeh. Boie is another variant of Böeh, which is also an Americanised variant of the original Old German spelling of Böeh. It is a variant of the German bewer and evaluates to mean "brewer."
The last variant, Böe, is derived from the High German word böhme, which means Bohemian. The name evolved from the German böhmischen, which was used to describe a person from the Czech Republic. This variant of Böwe was adopted in the late 1800s by immigrants from the Czech Republic, who had to change their surname to fit in.
All these surnames are derived from the same origin, yet have very different spellings. All these variants of Böwe are still used today, with many individuals subscribing to each spellings.
Famous people with the name Böwe
- Werner Böwe: Former German SPD politician and former member of the European Parliament.
- Mark Böwe: German actor and director.
- Mark Böwe: American actor.
- Elisabeth Böwe: German costume and set designer.
- Anton Böwe: Dutch schlager singer popular in the 1980s.
- Wolfgang Böwe: Former Austrian Olympic sprinter.
- Björn Böwe: German character actor.
- Jürgen Böwe: German actor and voice actor.
- Jan Böwe: Dutch jazz percussionist and composer.
- Jean-Claude Böwe: Belgian sculptor and fencer.
- Hannah Böwe: German singer and songwriter.
- Joachim Böwe: German author and illustrator.
- Wilfried Böwe: German comedian, writer, and TV presenter.
- Arne Böwe: Swedish composer and conductor.
- Siegfried Böwe: East German Olympic weightlifter.
- Stephanie Böwe: German model and television presenter.
- Christa Böwe: Austrian author and screenwriter.
- Hans-Christian Böwe: German football player and manager.
- Konrad Böwe: German classical flutist and professor of music.
- Jutta Böwe: East German pair skater.