Surname Raspe - Meaning and Origin
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Raspe: What does the surname Raspe mean?
The last name Raspe is of German origin, and derives from the Middle High German word ‘raezpe’, meaning ‘rat catcher’. This suggests that the original bearer worked as a hunter of varmints, such as rats, mice, or other small-animal pests. As a result, the name Raspe was likely an occupational surname.
Today, the Raspe name is quite common throughout Germany, Austria, and other Germanic-speaking countries. Although most people with the last name Raspe are of German descent, variations of the name are also widespread throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic states.
Raspe is most frequently found in regions with strong German cultural roots, and variations of the name are still frequently encountered in present-day Germany as well. Despite its long history, however, not much specific information regarding the Raspe name can be determined.
Regardless, the Raspe surname is a distinctively German name, and no doubt carries a rich history for those who bear the name. In times past, it would have likely been associated with the profession of rat-catcher, while today, it is a proud symbol of the family’s German heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisRaspe: Where does the name Raspe come from?
The last name Raspe is most commonly found in Germany today. It is believed that the name originated in the German region of Saxony, near the city of Leipzig. The name can also be found in other German-speaking regions like Austria, Switzerland, and southern parts of Poland.
In England, the name is quite rare, though a few family lines can be found in Northumberland and other distant parts of England.
In the United States, the name is less common. However, it has been found in several states, including New York, Colorado, California, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Apart from these places, there are a few other countries where you may find the name, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.
The meaning behind this last name has been lost over the years, however, some researchers believe that it may have been derived from the Middle High German “raspe”, which stands for “a deep, black pit”. Others think that the name could have originated from the word “respe”, which is a Bavarian term for “peaceful rumor”. Still, no one knows for sure the true origin of the last name Raspe.
Variations of the surname Raspe
The surname Raspe can be spelled in various ways, including Rasp, Raspi, Respie and Raspee. It is a German surname which may have originated from the word "raspen" meaning "to scrape". It is likely that the surname was given to someone who carried out a trade involving scraping and shaving, such as a cooper or a tanner.
In some cases, the surname has been further altered over time to Rasb, Raspo, Raps, Rape and Rapes. These variants are likely to have occurred through mistranscriptions as the surname moved into other countries. Some other variants include Raspy, Raspel and Raspler.
Raspe is also known as a Jewish surname, primarily through families from Prussia, originally deriving from the name Raphael. In this case, it is also written as Raspel, Raffel, Raffeler and Raffler.
Moving into the 20th century, variants such as Raspy, Raspie and Raspberry have been recorded in America, suggesting a more recent adaptation to the traditional spelling.
The most common variant within the United States today appears to be Raspe.
Overall, Raspe is a surname which has many different spellings and variants, creating a rich history of its origin and evolution.
Famous people with the name Raspe
- Johann Karl August Musäus: German novelist, who wrote as Baron von Musäus and Rudolf Raspe.
- Olaf Raspe: German rocket scientist who formed the experimental rocket assistance group Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR) in 1927.
- Rupert Neudeck: German author, journalist, Gregor Gysi politician, and founder of the Cap Anamur/German Emergency Doctors organisation.
- Kurt Raspe: German–American metallurgist and an important contributor to the field of metals and alloys research.
- Ebbe B. Raspe: Danish journalist and writer who wrote both fiction and non-fiction.
- Carl Raspe: German collector and illustrator best known for his work on the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm (Grimm's Fairy Tales).
- Charles L. Raspe: American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants from 1911 to 1918.
- Thomas Reichardt: German entrepreneur who founded the computer hardware company T-Systems in 1989; later sold to Deutsche Telekom.
- Albert Augustus Raspe: American born writer, journalist and editor, best remembered for his work as a contributor to various newspapers and magazines in the United States.
- Wilhelmina Augustina Frederika Raspe: German novelist and illustrator.