Surname Breitmoser - Meaning and Origin
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Breitmoser: What does the surname Breitmoser mean?
Breitmoser is a German surname that derives from the words "breit," meaning wide, and "moser," meaning furrow or grove. In the sense of the name, Breitmoser can be understood to indicate someone who lives in a wide furrow or a large grove.
In history, the Breitmoser family was mainly based in Bavaria, Germany. There's evidence that the family inhabited an area between the Rhine and Danube rivers in the 12th Century and later spread out across Southern and Central Germany.
Breitmoser can also serve as an occupational surname, derived from the Old German word breitamarser, which means a person responsible for making wood furrows. This occupation consisted of making wide and shallow furrows on the ground with a pitchfork in order to prepare the soil for planting.
Furthermore, the Breitmoser surname is also associated with a Bavarian legal relic known as the 'rechtfall', which refers to a medieval court order allowing individuals to carry certain weapons. A family bearing the Breitmoser surname could have had a noble military tradition.
Today, the Breitmoser name still remains in the region of Bavaria in Germany. It is also carried on by people of German ancestry around the world, providing a strong connection to their German heritage. The name Breitmoser is a reminder of a proud family history and a significant place in German history.
Order DNA origin analysisBreitmoser: Where does the name Breitmoser come from?
The last name Breitmoser is most commonly found today in Germany and Switzerland. It is a fairly uncommon name, and the number of people with this surname worldwide is estimated to be fewer than 5,000. According to the Genealogical Institute of the Swiss Surname Atlas, the Breitmoser last name is one of the top 100 surnames in Switzerland.
The most popular region in Germany where Breitmoser is found is the federal state of Bavaria. Here, it is the 507th most common surname, with the highest concentration found in the Bavarian administrative district of Lower Bavaria in northeastern Bavaria. The name is also common in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where it ranks 478th, and in Upper Franconia in northern Bavaria, where it appears at the 469th spot.
In Switzerland, the most densely populated cantons for people with the surname Breitmoser are Aargau, Zurich, and Thurgau. Aargau is home to the largest concentration of people with the surname, ranking at the 65th spot in terms of popularity. In contrast, Zurich and Thurgau are the 74th and 96th most popular last names in the country, respectively.
The Breitmoser surname is an example of a surname that originated from local origins. It is derived from a place name and likely has origins in German and Swiss regions. People with this surname can trace their roots to these areas and may have a shared heritage with others who also carry the Breitmoser surname.
Variations of the surname Breitmoser
The Breitmoser surname has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Breitmooser, Breitmoser, Breitmöser, Breitmösser, Breitmaier, and Breitmauser.
The Breitmoser variant is derived from the German word ‘Breite’, which means 'wide', and the suffix 'moser', meaning 'maker', indicating a profession or trade. This variant was particularly common among craftsmen and people with agricultural backgrounds.
The alternate spelling Breitmooser is also derived from the German word 'Breite'. It is most likely a form of phonetic spelling, where a double 'o' was used instead of the single 'ö' character in the standard variant Breitmöser, resulting in the substitution of 'oo' for 'ö'.
The other derivative cases of the Breitmoser surname are Breitmaier and Breitmauser. The former is derived from ‘Breite’ and the ancient Germanic word 'mair' which translates as ‘mayor’, while the latter is derived from ‘Breite’ and 'mauser' or 'mäuser', meaning 'mouse' or 'mice', indicating that the family may have held an association with rodent control.
Overall, the Breitmoser surname is a popular one with numerous variants and spellings. It is likely that all of these variations have the same origin, suggesting a common Germanic ancestry.
Famous people with the name Breitmoser
- Felix Breitmoser: German rower who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- Henning Breitmoser: German dressage rider who has ridden at the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
- Johannes Breitmoser:German fashion designer who made his debut in 2006.
- Klaus Breitmoser: German composer, conductor, arranger, singer and musicologist, best known as the leader of the international choral group Melod Singers.
- Joachim Breitmoser: German entomologist, best known for his work on Hymenoptera.
- Konrad Breitmoser: German Catholic priest and Bishop of Speyer from 1982 to 2010.
- Alexander Breitmoser: former music director of the Kammerensemble Berlin during the 1980s.
- Bernd Breitmoser: German born baritone singer and vocal coach/teacher at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.
- Christoph Breitmoser: German sculptor active mainly in the 20th century.
- Hermann Breitmoser: German sculptor and medalist, active during the 19th century.