Surname Olbers - Meaning and Origin
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Olbers: What does the surname Olbers mean?
The last name Olbers is derived from the Old Germanic name "Aldberahts". This name is composed of two elements: "ald", meaning “old”, and "beraht," meaning “bright” or “shining”. The name likely has references to both age and brilliance.
The Olbers surname first appears in records in Germany dating from the late 12th century. Members of this family were held in high regard and acted as legal advisors to the governing authorities. Over time, the family spread throughout Germany and further throughout Europe, although smaller pockets of the Olbers surname remain clustered in some Eastern and Southern German regions.
Today, people with the Olbers surname reside in countries around the world. Perhaps the most notable member of the Olbers family is the German astronomer, Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers (1758 - 1840). He is well known for his work in cataloguing asteroids, as well as occasional comet discoveries. The most comet bear his name, and his legacy has been celebrated across Germany, where a crater on the moon, the Olbers crater, bears his name.
The wider Olbers family continues to be associated with education, law, science and medicine, and many individuals can trace their ancestry back to the original German-speaking families who first bore this surname. The unifying theme of each generation, whatever their individual accomplishments, may be summed up in the interpretation of the meaning of this surname: “old and brilliant”.
Order DNA origin analysisOlbers: Where does the name Olbers come from?
The last name Olbers is found mostly in modern-day Germany, where it was first established centuries ago. It is part of the larger German diaspora, which means that pockets of people who share this surname can be found all around the world.
Given that many German immigrants relocated to the United States and South America, it is not surprising to find a number of Olbers families living in those countries as well. Recent census data shows that Olbers is especially common in Argentina, where there are dozens of villages and towns named after people with this surname.
It's also possible to find Olbers families in the United Kingdom, Australia, and even parts of Asia, as German expats continue to bring their traditional names with them wherever they go. Indeed, Olbers is still a relatively uncommon name, and it is unlikely that you will encounter it in large numbers anywhere outside of Germany. Despite the modern relocation of the name, it appears to remain most widespread in its original home country.
Variations of the surname Olbers
The surname of Olbers originates from northern Germany and is an occupational name originally derived from the Old German word "olb" meaning "wolf." As such, the name "Olbers" could be thought of as meaning "wolf-keeper" or "wolf-lord."
Due to the various dialects throughout the regions of northern Germany, the name has been subject to various spellings throughout the centuries. Variants of the surname include: Olbrechs, Olbrecht, Olberts, Olbertz, Olvered, Olverding, Olverdink, Opverding, Olverdinkh, Ownerding, Ownedrie, Ownevered, Olbaert, Olbarth, Olbaeretz,Olbery, Olperting, and Olpers.
There are also some regional surnames, which have a similar origin but were developed in different locations. These include: Oelbracht from Western Germany; Oelbrecht from Saarbrucken, Germany; Ahlbrecht from Thuringen, Germany; Alfers from Biedenkopf, Germany; and Olpers from Thuringen, Germany.
Overall, Olbers is a surname that has changed and developed over centuries, branching off into many variants and regional derivatives. Though people bearing the surname of Olbers may be dispersed across the world, they share a common ancestral origin in Germany and can trace their roots back to mountain-dwellers who were responsible for the protection and herding of wolves.
Famous people with the name Olbers
- Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers: Astronomer who is known for completing the first comprehensive survey of the night sky, discovering four asteroids, and developing a hypothesis regarding the origin of comets.
- Jürgen Olbers: German orthopedic surgeon.
- Gottfried Olbers: German astronomer who discovered two comets, catalogued stars, and developed a theory of the origin of comets.
- Wolfgang Olbers: German-Brazilian astronomer and author of the "Atlas of the Fixed Stars".
- Johann Georg Estor: German art historian and professor of archaeology who specialized in early modern art and architecture.
- Johann Wilhelm Olbers: German lawyer, diplomat, and politician who served as an envoy of the Kingdom of Prussia.
- Louisa Olbers: German poet, editor, and philanthropist who was one of the leading female figures of the German literary scene in the 19th century.
- Friedrich Wilhelm Olbers: German physician and mathematician who developed the Olbers' Paradox and discovered two asteroids known as Pallas and Vesta.
- Christian Olbers: German astronomer who was the first to observe the tail of a comet in 1835.
- August Heinrich von Olbers: German surgeon and cartographer who mapped the night sky and produced the first Uranographia, a comprehensive map of stars.