Surname Rohwäder - Meaning and Origin
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Rohwäder: What does the surname Rohwäder mean?
Rohwäder is a German surname derived from a topographic name for someone who lived near a clearing, or a habitational name from a settlement; the name literally translates to "clearing forest." This name was most prevalent in the region of Thuringia, which is part of central Germany.
The Rohwäder surname is thought to have originally been created during the medieval period, when last names were becoming more common and families needed to distinguish themselves from one another. The name Rohwäder is an occupational surname, as it is based on someone's job or profession. It often indicates that one member of the family was an agricultural worker on a manor, who worked and managed the clearing of trees in a forest nearby. This was often part of the duty of a forest bailiff or the groundskeeper of a manor estate.
The original spelling of Rohwäder probably evolved over time as the spelling of the language shifted. Examples of other spellings of the name include Rowheder, Rohwedder, or Rowedder.
Despite its historical roots, the Rohwäder surname is not that common today, but it is still found in central and eastern German-speaking areas. It may have been diluted as family members began to emigrate to other countries, or it was simply discarded by those who adopted a new surname due to marriage or other reasons.
Order DNA origin analysisRohwäder: Where does the name Rohwäder come from?
The last name Rohwäder is a common German surname. Prevalent in Germany itself, the name is also commonly seen in countries with a large diaspora of German speakers, such as the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In addition, Rohwäder can also be found in other countries where German immigrants settled, including the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and South Africa.
Within Germany itself, the Rohwäder surname is particularly popular in the northern and central regions of the country, with around 19,000 people bearing the name. The surname is also frequently seen in East Germany and Berlin which, at the time of the German reunification in 1990, were home to more than half of Germany’s Rohwäders. In the United States, the surname is mainly found in the country’s Midwestern and Appalachian states, with Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania being home to many Rohwäders.
The origins of the Rohwäder surname can be traced back to southern Germany and Switzerland, with records dating as far back as the 16th century. While the name is thought to have initially been derived from an old German way of life or perhaps a specific ethnic group, its exact origin is unclear. The Rohwäder coat of arms, which features a black bear displayed atop a blue shield, is often regarded as one of the earliest symbols of the surname.
Variations of the surname Rohwäder
The Rohwäder surname is derived from two different German words, “Roh” and “wäder”, which together means “row of waters”. This might refer to a water draught or a place near the water. There are several variants of this surname including Rohweder, Rohwaeder, Roheder, Rohwedder, Rohwedar, Rohweder, Rohwedaer, Rowedder, Roweder, Rowedder, Rowedar, Rowedaer, and Roedder.
It is also likely that the surname might have been changed by different spellings over the years. These could have been caused by a misunderstandings of the original spelling, government record keepers misspelling the name, or immigrants preparing documents with different spellings to simplify the names. For example, the name Rohwäder may have been simplified to Rohder, or to Rowedder.
It is possible that the surname Rohwäder has split into multiple surnames over the years. These include Rothe, Röhder, Röhrwäder, Röhrweger, Röhder, Räder, Röder, and Roder.
The meaning of “row of waters” suggests that the surname could have branches in multiple countries. For example, it is possible that the Rohwäder surname could have derived from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
It is likely that some people carrying the Rohwäder name have adopted different surnames, such as the variants mentioned above, in other countries or cultures. For example, some people may have adopted the name Röhrweg or Röhlweg in Norway, or a variation of McCarthy in Ireland.
Overall, the different variants, spellings and surnames of Rohwäder provide evidence for the importance of researching and tracing the origins of a family’s history. With the right resources, it is possible to discover the history of the Rohwäder surname and the individuals who carry it.
Famous people with the name Rohwäder
- Christian Rohwäder (German actor)
- Martin Rohwäder (German sports scientist)
- Maik Rohwäder (German actor and director)
- Frieder Rohwäder (German Radio Presenter)
- Jürgen Rohwäder (German Radio and Print Journalist)
- Peter Rohwäder (German Social Scientist)
- Julius Rohwäder (German Film Director)
- Tobias Rohwäder (German Rock Musician)
- Alexander Rohwäder (German Music Producer)
- Paul Rohwäder (German Painter)
- Uwe Rohwäder (German Soccer Player)
- Timm Rohwäder (German Television Host)
- Christina Rohwäder (German Fashion Designer)
- Julian Rohwäder (German Architect)
- Rainer Rohwäder (German Radio and Television Presenter)
- Martin Rohwäder (German Record Producer)
- Sabine Rohwäder (German Art Dealer)
- Roman Rohwäder (German Actor)
- Fabian Rohwäder (German Film Editor)
- David Rohwäder (German Actor)