New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesSurname history and meaning of Brandenburg
Just curious about the my name Brandenburg. I I have done a little research and this is what I have found out.
Directly translated from German, Brandenburg could mean surge, or borken (Branden) and castle (burg).
However, the name may come from the Ancient slavic word "Brenna" which means swamp.
having the last name meaning swamp is a little less glorified than Broken Castle, so I am hoping for the prior over the latter. Does anyone else have more accurate knowledge of the name's meaning?
Directly translated from German, Brandenburg could mean surge, or borken (Branden) and castle (burg).
However, the name may come from the Ancient slavic word "Brenna" which means swamp.
having the last name meaning swamp is a little less glorified than Broken Castle, so I am hoping for the prior over the latter. Does anyone else have more accurate knowledge of the name's meaning?
1
Replies
Hi, I'm also very interested in the meaning of my last name, Brandenburg.
1
The derivation of the place-name BRANDENBURG seems to be debated. Usually the German word "brennen," to burn is assumed as the first part of the name. This can either refer to a fire in the castle, or to slash-and-burn.
Source: Dieter Berger, Geographische Namen in Deutschland
Another possible derivation (I can't back this up. though) would be a personal name Brand (like in Hildebrand).
Source: Dieter Berger, Geographische Namen in Deutschland
Another possible derivation (I can't back this up. though) would be a personal name Brand (like in Hildebrand).
1
I guess I am looking more for the etymology of the name, I know Brandenburg is a state in Germany, also there are several landmarks and other things with the name.
1
I note that there are several places named Brandenburg in Germany, including one near Cologne and one near the Danish border. This makes it less likely that there is a Slavic basis to the name, though the various Brandenburgs need not derive from the exact same original form. The Sorbian name for Brandenburg is Braniborska (see Wikipedia), but that is probably based on the German name.
1
This helps, I heard the "to burn" thing before, but I had forgotten where, and couldn't find anything that stated it currently. I am curious as to how the State of Brandenburg in Germany got it's name, however, the wikipedia article on it doesn't provide any information. and sources are scarce about it's original meaning on the Internet.
--J.
--J.
1
State of Brandenburg
There is a fairly long article on this in the book Geographische Namen in Deutschland, but I will try to translate a passage from its beginning to answer your question. If you need further information, let me know.
"The territorial history of Brandenburg, the historic Mark Brandenburg began in the 12th century, when the Ascanian (? Anskanier) Albrecht the Bear conquered the castle Brandenburg of the deceased Heveller duke Pribislaw-Heinrich and took the title Markgraf von Brandenburg (1157). Albrecht also restored the mission dioceses Brandenburg and Havelberg that had existed between 948 and 983, and drew countless German and Dutch settlers to the land between the middle Elbe and Oder. The name of the old capital was now applied to the whole area, that comprised both the Altmark west of the Elbe, and the Neumark east of the Oder."
There is a fairly long article on this in the book Geographische Namen in Deutschland, but I will try to translate a passage from its beginning to answer your question. If you need further information, let me know.
"The territorial history of Brandenburg, the historic Mark Brandenburg began in the 12th century, when the Ascanian (? Anskanier) Albrecht the Bear conquered the castle Brandenburg of the deceased Heveller duke Pribislaw-Heinrich and took the title Markgraf von Brandenburg (1157). Albrecht also restored the mission dioceses Brandenburg and Havelberg that had existed between 948 and 983, and drew countless German and Dutch settlers to the land between the middle Elbe and Oder. The name of the old capital was now applied to the whole area, that comprised both the Altmark west of the Elbe, and the Neumark east of the Oder."
1
Thanks a lot. This helps satisfy my curiousity, and I will try to get some of this information posted on this site, right now there is nothing about the name other than this thread.
1