Background and Meaning of "Hampe"
My ancestors originally came from Lingen in Lower Saxony (Germany)
I've been tying unsuccessfully to find out the origin and meaning of the surname "Hampe".Thanks,
S.H.
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Hi Stephen,Here you can find the origin and meaning of Hampe:http://www.behindthename.com/messages/32964.htmlYou asked for more details (which I obviously didn't see last time), so I just had a look:Other forms of the surname are Hempe, Hampel, Hempel, Hemprecht, Hampke, Hamke, Hempler, Hemprich, Hamp, Hemp, Hampo, Hampl etc.(patronymic forms: Hempeler, Hempler, Hampler, Hampelmann, Hempelmann etc.)The forms including an L are from the southern parts of the country.The name Hampelmann is even the word for a "Jumping Jack" in Germany (as "hampeln" is a Low German expression for "struggle", "wriggle").There is a German phrase: "Es sieht aus wie bei Hempels unterm Sofa" which means "It looks like under the couch of the Hempels' (family)" and is used when something is looking really untidy.So Hempel and Hampelmann are quite funny surnames to have in Germany.Regards, Satu
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Thanks Satu, DO you know how far back (aprrox. what year) "hampe" originated in Lower Saxony?
Vielen Dank!
S.H.
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Hello Stephen,I didn't find any year for Lower Saxony, but for other places I found these years (in the book Hans Bahlow: Deutsches Namenlexikon, 1967)Hampo - 9th century in WestphaliaHampe, Hempe - 1428 i.O. (don't know what that abbreviation stands for, it's not said in the book. I'd guess it means in Westphalia as well or in the eastern part of Westphalia?)Hampe - 1372 in Hesse, in Haldensleben, even as a female first nameHempe, Hempel - 1372 in Liegnitz (Silesia)Regards, Satu
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