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Help[Surname] Re: German surname Schwebin
in reply to a message by Lisa
German is a language that uses noun gender; "-in" is a feminine noun suffix that turns a masculine noun into a feminine one.
In centuries past, it was not uncommon to add this suffix also to the surnames of women, at least in everyday life and occasionally also in records. Particularly in the south of the country (which is where Württemberg is located).
Now, if you add "-in" to the surname Schwab, you technically get "Schwäbin". The letter "ä", however, is in fact a younger development of "ae". So "Schwaebin" or "Schwäbin" could have easily turned into "Schwebin", especially because in this case "ä" and "e" sound almost alike.
In centuries past, it was not uncommon to add this suffix also to the surnames of women, at least in everyday life and occasionally also in records. Particularly in the south of the country (which is where Württemberg is located).
Now, if you add "-in" to the surname Schwab, you technically get "Schwäbin". The letter "ä", however, is in fact a younger development of "ae". So "Schwaebin" or "Schwäbin" could have easily turned into "Schwebin", especially because in this case "ä" and "e" sound almost alike.
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