Surname Dettelbacher - Meaning and Origin
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Dettelbacher: What does the surname Dettelbacher mean?
The surname Dettelbacher is a German locational name from any of several places called Dettelbach. These places are located in Bavaria, Germany. The place name is derived from the Old High German words, "dietil" (which means "people") and "bach" (which means "stream"). The place name thus means "people's stream".
The Dettelbacher surname is found mainly in the modern German states of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It is also found with some frequency in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Within Germany, the Dettelbacher surname was first recorded in the 15th century. The first recorded spelling of the family name was Dietlebach, which was found in the church register of St. Lorenz of Nuremberg in Bavaria.
Dettelbacher is a very unique surname in that modern-day spelling has remained unchanged since its first recording some 500 years ago. It is a very established surname and has remained so throughout the centuries.
The Dettelbacher surname symbolizes the many generations of German ancestors that have lived around the Dettelbach place for centuries. It is a reminder of those who have persevered through difficult times and has remained strong in their German heritage. Today, Dettelbacher is a rare last name outside of Germany, which further reinforces its unique and historical importance.
Order DNA origin analysisDettelbacher: Where does the name Dettelbacher come from?
The last name Dettelbacher is most common today in Germany, with a small presence in Austria as well. It is estimated that this name is most likely of German and Bavarian origin.
The surname is most often used in areas near Rheinland-Pfalz in Germany, as well as in the Bavaria region of the nation. It is thought the name may have derived from the medieval name of Dettelbach, which was a small village in Bavaria Germany. Today, this village is located in the Landkreis Main-Spessart district of Bavaria.
The data in these areas is based on more recent figures from the 1990 to 2000 census and was compiled by the United States Census Bureau.
Dettelbacher is also located in other major cities including Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich. The highest number of individuals bearing the last name Dettelbacher in Germany is in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg.
In the United States, the last name Dettelbacher is also found, but not as notably as in Germany. Most Dettelbachers in the US are descendants of those who emigrated to America, typically in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The US census reported that as of 2006, there were just over 1,200 individuals with the surname Dettelbacher living in the country.
Variations of the surname Dettelbacher
The surname Dettelbacher is a German name derived from Middle High German roots and has a variety of alternate spellings and variants. It is derived from the name Dettelbach, which was the name of a river in Germany, as well as a town and village nearby. The name could have developed from “Döttel” which is a term for the clay-containing riverbed common to that region.
Variants of Dettelbacher include Dettelbacker, Dettlbacker, Dettelbacher, Dettelbacher, Dettelbacker, Dettlbacher and Döttelbacher, and all have the same origins from Middle High German.
Surnames derived from a similar etymology are possible. Some possibilities include Detloff, Detwiler and Dettling. Detloff is derived from the Middle High German word “dote” for gate or path and is used as a written name in many documents found in Bavaria from the mid-14th century.
The surname Detwiler is derived from the Middle High German word duevel meaning metalworker or armorer and could have been assigned to armorers from the upper Rhine region. It is also thought to have developed from an alternate spelling of “Dettelbacher”.
The surname Dettling is derived from the Middle High German term “Dettel” meaning small hill and was used to describe a man who lived near such a small hill.
In conclusion, the surname Dettelbacher has quite a few variants and similar surnames that are all derived from Middle High German roots and common to the Upper Rhine region of Germany.
Famous people with the name Dettelbacher
- Ernst Dettelbacher: German historian, sociologist and classical philologist.
- Johann Dettelbacher: German astronomer and mathematician.
- Wilhelm Dettelbacher: German botanist, geologist and explorer.
- Hermann Dettelbacher: German ornithologist.
- Michael Dettelbacher: German musician and composer.
- Hubert Dettelbacher: German cinematographer and film director.
- Karl Dettelbacher: German chess player.
- Arnold Dettelbacher: German archpriest and theologian.
- Ferdinand Dettelbacher: German zoologist and entomologist.
- Jobst Dettelbacher: German musicologist and composer.