Monday, August 29, 2011

Allaire

From wikipedia:

  • Hilaire, linked to the name Hilarius derived from Latin hilaris meaning joyful.[1]
  • Aloir, a place in Brittany named after saint Aloire (LatinAlorus), bishop of Quimper, Brittany.[2]
  • Allaire (Alaer in Breton), French commune in the Morbihan department, arrondissement of Vannes, Brittany.[3
Our French Allaire was from Poitou, which is South of Allaire.    

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Albert

Both the French & English surname Albert ultimately seem to have the same origin:

From the web:  Many of the most common French surnames are derived from personal names of Germanic origin. They derive from the language of the Franks, who controlled France between the mid-5th and early 8th centuries. The name Albert is derived from the given name Albert, which is itself derived from the Germanic personal name Albrecht. The name Albrecht means noble and bright and it was borne by numerous medieval princes, churchmen and military leaders.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Albert, Alber, Alberte, Albers, Albaire, Albair, Albère, Alberre, Albairre, d'Albert, d'Alber, d'Alberte, d'Albers, d'Albaire, d'Albère, d'Alberre and many more.

First found in Bourgogne, where the family held a family seat from very early times.

Abancourt

is a village and two communes in Northern France in the Picardie region.
(These posts are an attempt to look up the meanings/origins of surnames in my family tree.)

Navarre

This French surname indicates the originator was from the Kingdom of Navarre, which was in what is now modern day France and Spain, the SouthWest corner where France meets Spain on the coast.  It existed from the 800s to the 1500s, the last section was fully made part of France in 1620, the South became part of Spain in 1513.  Navarre may mean above the trees or treeless land.  Or brownish.  Which would refer to the brown land relative to the green trees North of Navarre.

Couturier

French for dress designer.  First found in Limousin, France, which is a region in Central France, a little South and West of the center.  Occitan language was spoken here, currently dying out.
Translated to Taylor in Maine.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Otto Oehler

http://murphylibrary.uwlax.edu/digital/lacrosse/laxhist1881/04930497.htm

Also spelled Otto Ohler, this is the harnessmaker my great grandfather E.B. Wiggert was first apprenticed to in LaCrosse.  In 1856 or 1858 there were only 6 Germans in LaCrosse, E.B. arrives later in 1865.