This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Last names Ruhe and Kemmerling
For RUHE check out:http://www.ancestry.com/search/SurnamePage.aspx?sourcecode=13304&html=b&fn=&ln=Ruhe&submit.x=0&submit.y=0(P.H.Reany, A Dictionary of English Surnames, Oxford 1997)My book of German surnames (Rosa und Volker Kohlheim, Familiennamen, Mannheim 2000) gives a different explanation:Variant of RAU(E) / RAUHE: from Middle High German "ruh, ruch, ruw" = "shaggy" but also "curt, coarse, impetuous" (I don't think it's connected with "raw" though)KEMMERLINGReany has:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/SurnamePage.aspx?sourcecode=13304&html=b&fn=&ln=Kemmerling&submit.x=0&submit.y=0This seems to make sense with the first E taking the place of Ä (A umlaut), as would be in modern German (from "Kammer" = "chamber", in German a "small room"; "Kämmerer" is "treasurer", guard of the treasure-house = Schatzkammer). You will find the Word "Kämmerling" (with the A umlaut) for "chamberlain" in a modern German dictionary.As the letter E can substitute any of the three umlauts, you might consider KÖMMERLING (with an O umlaut; this is a name I have heard of) and KÜMMERLING (with a U umlaut; never heard of). You will find both words in Grimm's dictionary, Kömmerling being a variant of Kümmerling. This can mean either "cucumber" or "darling" (i.e. object of someone's "Kummer" = care). The modern German word "Kümmerling" (not used very much) is "weakling" in English and this is another possible derivation of KEMMERLING.
So take your pick.
vote up1vote down

Replies

Thank you!~~Kelsey~~
I love my crazy family, Kourtney, Kiley, Keegan, and Kendra
vote up1vote down