Origin of Some Interesting Names

Albers - patronymic of Alber, from old German Adalbero = "noble bear". Kinnui f. Abraham.

Archer - confer (vergleiche) - from: arch, bow - german: Bogen, town in Franconia or Boge

Benjamin - Gen. 35:18, meaning "lucky person"(partially derived from "Ben Oni" - "Child of numbness" (= Taubheit, Benommenheit, Starre), given to Benjamin by his mother Rachel).

Ewing - a patronymic of Ewen or Ewan, which is an anglicized form of the Gael personal name Eògann, a gaelic form of Latin Eugenius (Eugène); or from a proto-Celtic name meaning "born of the yew" (i.e. yew-tree = Eibe).

Frankenstein - ("Franconian rock") coming from identical origin town in Saxonia, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz and Silesia (today Pol. Zabkowice). Also name of region "Franconia".

Hoffmann - "Courtier", owner of a farm, court judge, in Mittelhochdeutsch, Middle High German: Hoff, Hof - Farm, courtyard, court in Low German spelling. Hofman(n) - a farmer who owns his land. Possibly, a Jew taking this name was such a farmer. Other Jews selected the name Hoffman from their employment at the court (Hof) of a prince or duke. Most Jewish Hoffman(n)s selected the name as a symbol of Hoffnung (hope) and Hoffman meant "a man of hope".

Koebner - coming from the town Köben, near Breslau

Parnell - from the medieval female given name Parnell, a vernacular form of Petronilla, Petronia, Petronius, a Roman family name of probably Etruscan Etymology.

Reisner, Reissner, Reisender - Handlungsreisender = travelling salesman, (commercial) traveller; also one from town Reisen in Hessen, Bavaria or Posen (Pol. Rydzyna) near Poznan.

Schaefer - German: Shepherd, Pastor; Kinnui for Samuel; also MHG "Schaffer" - Creator, sculptor, administrator, stewart. Or: S chaffer - "Administrator", a name taken by a Gabbai, a leader in the community.

Schroedter - MHG "cutter, taylor"

Taube - German: "dove", translation of bibl. Iona, Yonah. German-Jewish families derived their name from the house bearing the sign of the Taube (dove).

Wilcken - from a medieval English name Wilkin, short form of Will with hypoc. suffix -kin; or: from Polish "Wilk" = Wolf.

Borchardt/Burchardt - German proper name - Burkhard = "fortress, hardy" (kühne Festung, harte Burg).

Freitag - German - Friday, lucky to be born on Friday

Wolfgang - German proper name: "Wolf´s kind, wolfish". Also translated from Zeev, from Bibl. Benjamin Zeev (Gen. 49:27), Kinnui for Benjamin.

Weichselbaum - German: "Mahaleb cherry tree"; Weichsel - "sour cherry, wild cherry"; the river Vistula; tree by the river.

Pinner - as proper name and Kinnui for Pinchas, also from town Pinne (Pol. Pniewy/ Poznan.

(thanks to R. Frankenstein)

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