Meyer

hannover-l
1

Hi Barbie-Lew1

I think I am about to write something really foolish....

So here goes..

Wasn't it common in the area of Westphalia that the children born of
landless farm workers be christened with the farm name rather than the
surname of the father?

No, in that time only the heritage of the farm got the surname "Meyer". And at the beginning it wasn't a surname but a marking of the social position. Landless farm workers as well as all common
people had only a given name.
There was no need to have a surname, because the country wasn't very populous. When the towns increased in the 15th century a surname was needed. This process to get a surname lasted many hundred years, especially on the country side. In this part of Westphalia where I live many surnames got firm about 1830-50.
By the way: here exists the longest German surname!
Ottovordemgentschenfeld, which means Otto who lives before the geese field.

Have a great day!

Klaus (Stahl)

2

Dear Klaus,

You know...

I have people with the surname "Otto" from ? in Europe. In St. Louis, Mo. and Washington county, Il in the states....:slight_smile:

And I thought Lewandowski was a long name :slight_smile:

Ottovordemgentschenfeld.............WOW!! I like it.

Sort of neat to think that "Otto" was so very popular that he was remembered as the person who lived nearby the geesefield.

I suppose in olden times if a person wanted to cook a goose or gather some eggs.... they might have stopped and said hello to Otto along the way...:slight_smile:

My aunt used to give me fresh goose and chicken eggs on occasion... I only ever needed one goose egg to prepare an omlet!!

However...have also experienced the crabby old laying goose who would honk, flap, chase and attempt to bite everyone who might pass.

Barbie-Lew