Surname Pöhm - Meaning and Origin
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Pöhm: What does the surname Pöhm mean?
The last name Pöhm has several possible origins. It may be derived from the Middle High German terms “pohemin” or “poheme”, which were both used as personal names and indicated either bravery or a good temperament. Alternatively, it may be associated with the Old High German word “pohha”, meaning “totem pole”, which was a sign of pre-Christian beliefs and signified belonging to a family or clan.
The last name Pöhm is most commonly found in Germany, particularly around the Rhine area in the southwestern part of the country. In German, the name is typically pronounced with a long o, as in “po-ehm”. It is usually written with the umlaut (diaresis) over the o to indicate that the o should be pronounced with a long vowel sound.
The surname Pöhm is not extremely common. In Germany, there were around 550 people with the name in 2019, and in the UK there were only around 40. It can mainly be found in the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Overall, the last name Pöhm can be traced back to a few possible sources, all of which refer to pre-Christian beliefs and indicate a strong sense of belonging to a family or clan.
Order DNA origin analysisPöhm: Where does the name Pöhm come from?
The last name Pöhm is a Germanic surname which is quite common in the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and some regions of the United States.
The etymology of the surname dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was first used by the upper echelons of society as a sign of nobility. The root of the name comes from the Old Germanic "Pohh", which is derived from "pop" or "pope" and means "diplomat" or "leader". This is why it has become a signifier of high social rank, as it is believed to connect with the archpriest of those times.
In modern times, the name continues to be a popular surname in German-speaking countries, particularly in the north. It is also not uncommon to find people with the surname in other countries of Europe, and also in some regions of the United States, where immigrants from German-speaking countries have settled.
The Pöhm surname also appears in some parts of Scandinavia, especially in Sweden and Norway. There, it is often spelled Pöhme. This version of the name is also popular in Iceland and is used by Icelandic populations who have German ancestry.
All in all, the last name Pöhm is a quite common name in regions where Germanic cultures predominate. It is widely used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, but it can also be found in other countries across the world where immigrants from German-speaking countries have settled.
Variations of the surname Pöhm
The surname Pöhm is an uncommon and peculiar German-language surname, which has multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant of the surname is "Pöhme," typically found in the North and Central German regions. This variation is clearly discernible by the vowel-length distinction between the two names, with the surname Pöhm having a "long-o" sound while Pöhme has a short-o sound.
The next common variant found in Germany is "Pöhmke," which originated from East Prussia and is now widely found in Germany. This variant uses -ke in place of -me in the original spelling—Pöhme.
Another variation of the same surname is "Pöhmann," which is more commonly found in the southern German region. This variant is formed by adding the suffix "-man" to the last part of the surname.
Still another surname of the same origin is "Pöhmer," a rendition of the original spelling that is more commonly found in the western German regions.
Many surnames of the same origin have evolved around the world. For example, in the Netherlands "Poehme" and in the United States "Pohme" are two spellings found in some American census records.
In conclusion, the surname Pöhm has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Depending on the region, some of these variants differ in spelling due to their original pronunciation or because of cultural and linguistic changes over time. Furthermore, some of these variants are also found in different countries around the world.
Famous people with the name Pöhm
- Rainer Pöhm: Former Austrian figure skating champion who went on to represent Austria at the 1992 Winter Olympics.
- Christof Pöhm: Austrian storyteller and comedian who published a range of books and toured with his show 'Halleluja'.
- Rudolf Pöhm: Austrian mountain climber who was part of the first successful ascent of the 28,251-foot Nanga Parbat peak in 1953.
- Alfred Pöhm: Austrian composer who wrote music for a variety of media including cinema, theater, and instrumental and vocal works.
- Wolfgang Pöhm: Austrian actor who appeared in more than 50 film and television roles.
- Mathias Pöhm: German artist and author who wrote novels about the First World War and the Holocaust.
- Jonathan Pöhm: Austrian electronic musician who released two albums under the alias 'J.Rim'.
- Birgit Pöhm: Austrian opera and drama vocalist who has appeared on a variety of stage productions.
- Thomas Pöhm: German-Austrian film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer whose films have won a number of awards.
- Johann Pöhm: Austrian painter who specialized in painting fairy tales and rural landscapes.