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ArchivesOrigin of the name Tolbert
The name Tolbert was given to me by my parents from my uncle and I found out that the name was also my great-grandfather. We are African American. I have seen the name as a last name lots of times but not a first name. If you could tell me when and where the name started I would appreciate a response.
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This is just a bunch of guesswork, but...
I think "Tolbert" and its variant "Talbert" are not true 'bert' names (coming from the Germanic root 'beraht' meaning 'bright'). I presume these names might be variations on two sources, both common as last names but recently taking on new life as given names.
The first is "Talbot," which this site lists as meaning 'valley offer.' It seems to be from Anglo-Saxon/Germanic roots, but I couldn't find the appropriate root words.
The second is "Tobit" which is based on the Biblical name "Tobias." This might seem unlikely, but the morphology of names in French and English is rarely typical, and it would be through these two cultures that "Tolbert" would derive.
I think "Tolbert" and its variant "Talbert" are not true 'bert' names (coming from the Germanic root 'beraht' meaning 'bright'). I presume these names might be variations on two sources, both common as last names but recently taking on new life as given names.
The first is "Talbot," which this site lists as meaning 'valley offer.' It seems to be from Anglo-Saxon/Germanic roots, but I couldn't find the appropriate root words.
The second is "Tobit" which is based on the Biblical name "Tobias." This might seem unlikely, but the morphology of names in French and English is rarely typical, and it would be through these two cultures that "Tolbert" would derive.
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