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Help[Surname] Re: Last name - Could it be Ornamental Jewish?
in reply to a message by Brett Ohlwine
I don't think it is Jewish. I agree with your translation, which does suggest an ornamental name, but I've yet to find a Jewish connection.
I suppose you are aware of the town of Oelwein in the state of Iowa -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oelwein
which takes its name from one Gustav Oelwein, whose parents migrated from Lower Saxony, Germany, in 1835. This was before any large-scale Jewish migration to the US from Central and Eastern Europe.
A couple of thoughts:
Might it be an Old Germanic given name, something like the Anglo-Saxon Alwin, "noble friend"? This could have been changed over time by folk etymology.
A metonymic for someone who dealt in these products?
A minor and obscure place-name. I've been on the trail of a Swiss place name, but it might be a false lead.
I suppose you are aware of the town of Oelwein in the state of Iowa -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oelwein
which takes its name from one Gustav Oelwein, whose parents migrated from Lower Saxony, Germany, in 1835. This was before any large-scale Jewish migration to the US from Central and Eastern Europe.
A couple of thoughts:
Might it be an Old Germanic given name, something like the Anglo-Saxon Alwin, "noble friend"? This could have been changed over time by folk etymology.
A metonymic for someone who dealt in these products?
A minor and obscure place-name. I've been on the trail of a Swiss place name, but it might be a false lead.
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Replies
Oelwein comes from the German words Oel "oil" and Wein wine"
Generally, the oil that is referred to is "olive oil".
Someone in the family hundreds of years ago was a producer or merchant of wine made from olive oil.
The word Oel was originally spelled with an "O Umlaut"... i.e., two little dots above the O. So if you look the word up in a German dictionary, you will find the word spelled with an "O" with two little dots above the O, and then followed by the letter "l".
Generally, the oil that is referred to is "olive oil".
Someone in the family hundreds of years ago was a producer or merchant of wine made from olive oil.
The word Oel was originally spelled with an "O Umlaut"... i.e., two little dots above the O. So if you look the word up in a German dictionary, you will find the word spelled with an "O" with two little dots above the O, and then followed by the letter "l".
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