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Re: Pirmann
in reply to a message by Andy
Just a blind guess... could it be [funeral] pyr[e] man?
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Nice try. Thanx!A
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Well, you're easily pleased.... That's not even the right language. You said it's a German surname.
I'd say it's from 'Pirk', an oberdeutsch form of 'Birke', the birch tree.
Pier is also German for 'jetty'.
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No, in fact I wasn't pleased. Just a little cheer up, which we all need every once in a while.
Not the right language? You'd be surprised to hear what sorts of "wrong languages" German surnames can originate from. Or - just to give an example - would you have guessed that the name HUSCHKE (which does sound fairly German to a German's ears) can be derived from
a) the Czech word "husa" (goose)
b) Hurban, a Lower Sorbian form of Urban, which is Latin
c) Lower Sorbian "hucho" (ear)?

I'm afraid, PIRK is but wild guessing (what happened to the K?), and so is PIER. But you are right: we'll have to guess as long as there is no real evidence for one or the other. Talking about trees personally I would prefer the pear, German BIRNE, the original form being BIR, from Latin "pirum", Old High German BIRA or PIRA.

But I'm afraid Mr. Pirmann wil have to wait a while for a definite answer …

Andy ;—)
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