Surname Lothe - Meaning and Origin
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Lothe: What does the surname Lothe mean?
The last name Lothe is believed to be of German origin, likely being derived from the old German word “loth”, meaning “humiliated” or “humble”. It may have initially been given to a person who was particularly humble or meek.
The name is prevalent in Germany and other parts of Northern Europe, and there are records of its use dating back to the 12th century in parts of Germany.
In some cases, the name Lothe may have been derived from a place name. For instance, Lothen was a small village near Dresden in Germany in the 13th century, and people living there may have taken the name Lothe.
The name Lothe also appears to be related to some German and Scandinavian surnames such as Lotz, Lotge and Lotzmann.
In the United States, the name Lothe is used relatively rarely, usually by German immigrants. The family may have Angles and Saxons origins, as there are numerous references to the name Lothe and its variants throughout Northern Europe as far back as 500 AD.
In summary, the family name Lothe is likely derived from a Germanic origin, possibly meaning “humiliated” or “humble”. It is thought to be related to some German and Scandinavian surnames, and its use appears to date back to at least 500 AD. In the United States, the name is not widely used, and usually by German immigrants.
Order DNA origin analysisLothe: Where does the name Lothe come from?
The surname Lothe is most commonly found today in Norway, as it is a variant of the Norwegian surname Loth. According to the US Census Bureau, 0.022 percent of Americans share this surname.
In Norway, the Lothe surname is found in the Eastern regions and is most commonly linked to the Old Norse name Lodin. This name meant “heath” or “heather”, and it was likely a descriptor of someone who lived in a verdant, brush-strewn, but largely uninhabited region. The Lothe surname was used in western and central Norway until the 1800s, and now the surname is much more rare.
In Norway, the Lothe surname is still most commonly found in the counties of Hedmark and Oppland, but smaller occurrences may also be found in the southern counties of Rogaland and Vest-Agder. The most famous bearer of the name Lothe was Sindre Lothe, a Norwegian feat athlete who represented his country in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Verdal, a municipality in the county of Nord-Trøndelag.
Generally, the Lothe surname is a great deal more common in Norway than in other parts of the world. It can be hard to trace an ancestral line that includes the Lothe surname outside of Norway; those with the surname elsewhere are most likely descended from Norwegian emigrants.
Variations of the surname Lothe
The surname Lothe has several variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. Common variant spellings are Loth, Lothar, Luthe, Luther, Lutner, Lother, and Luthar. The surname Lothe is thought to originate from Olde German and Middle High German terms, 'hlut', meaning Italian, and 'hari', being an abbreviation for the Latin term meaning warrior. As such, the literal translation of the surname is “Italian Warrior”.
The surname Lothe is popularly found across various countries including Germany, Switzerland, France, England, and Scotland. It is also commonly found in the United States. Lothe is mainly a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from the given name of a father or ancestor.
Variations of the surname Lothe have been found around Europe since medieval times. The spellings of the surname have changed over time as accents, customs, and pronunciations have evolved in different countries. For example, in France, the surname was changed from 'Lothe' to 'Luthar', whereas in England and Scotland, it was changed to 'Luther'. In Germany, on the other hand, it was changed to 'Loth', 'Luthe', and 'Lutner'.
The surname Lothe also has numerous other variants such as Laut, Lautner, Lother, Leth, and Licher. In addition, the surname is often found in the old German spelling of Lote, as well as sometimes being found as a Jewish surname with the spelling of 'Licht' or 'Licher'.
Famous people with the name Lothe
- Filip Lothe, a Norwegian footballer.
- Kathrine Lothe, a Norwegian singer/songwriter and TV host.
- Joachim Lothe, a Norwegian actor and singer.
- Agnar Lothe, a Norwegian novelist and poet.
- Catharina Lothe, a Norwegian actress.
- Einar Lothe, a Norwegian professional golfer.
- Hans Erik Lothe, a Norwegian lawyer and legal scholar.
- Leif Lothe, a Norwegian businessman and writer.
- Lise Lothe, a Norwegian actress.
- Morten Lothe, a Norwegian author.
- Sigmund Lothe, a Norwegian film director and screenwriter.
- Øyvind Lothe, a Norwegian archaeologist and author.
- Aslaug Lothe, a Norwegian TV journalist.
- Olav Lothe, a Norwegian physicist.
- Roy Lothe, a Norwegian jazz musician.
- Håvard Lothe, a Norwegian cellist.
- Itziar Lothe, a Norwegian fashion designer.