Surname Strathe - Meaning and Origin
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Strathe: What does the surname Strathe mean?
Strathe is a Swedish habitational surname derived from placenames in several regions of Sweden. It is a combination of the prefix 'strät', meaning path, road or straight line, combined with 'he', a suffix meaning hill, elevated area, or mound. The combination could mean a "path or road over a hill" or a "straight path between two hills".
The 'strät' prefix also appears in other surnames including Strand, Strandell, and Strandberg. These names often housed the same meaning as Strathe, simply they did not include the 'he' suffix. Strathe could be seen as more specific than these surnames as it likely pointed to a location with a path or road over a hill.
Strathe can also be found as Strath in Scotland and Ireland, where it is believed to have arrived with settlers from Scandinavia. This version of the name has the same meaning in Gaelic as it does in Swedish, denoting a path or road over a hill.
Though the last name Strathe is not uncommon, those who bear it often don't know the origin and meaning of the name. Knowing the origin and meaning of the name can help those who hold it have a better understanding of where they came from and help to preserve their cultural heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisStrathe: Where does the name Strathe come from?
The last name Strathe is quite common today, and can be found in various places around the world. It is most commonly found in Europe, particularly in Germany, but can also be found in countries such as Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Strathe is also found in Canada as the result of German immigrants who arrived in the 19th and 20th centuries.
In the United States, the name Strathe is quite rare and can be found primarily in states where there has been strong German emigration. Primary among these states are Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Texas. The name appears to have been most popular when mass European immigration occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Strathe’s origin has been traced to the low German “strübbe” meaning “a twisted staff” and is thought to have been a name given to those families that used a staff as part of their profession or way of life. The family was also known to have the “leib,” which was a personal law that defined how the family of Strathe was expected to live.
Today the name Strathe is still quite uncommon, but it can be found in various parts of the world including Europe and North America.
Variations of the surname Strathe
Strathe is a relatively uncommon Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word “Strathe”, meaning "ridge". In its earliest forms, the surname was documented as de Strath, de Strathe, Strathe, and Strath. Over time, however, the variations on this surname have evolved significantly and it is now sometimes written and pronounced as Strath, Straith, Strathey, Streith, Strathie, Straithie, Streight, Straight, Strathe, Strathearn, Strathmore, Straithmore, Straighte, Strathearn, Strathorn, and Strathard.
Variants of Strathe, such as those containing eclectic spellings of “strath”, may be either Anglicised versions of the original Gaelic spelling or simply the regional preference of the family itself. The Straith spelling, meanwhile, is thought to be the result of attempts to Anglicise the Gaelic Strathe and is found primarily in the southwest of Scotland, especially the Perthshire area. Both Strathorn and Strathard are also variants of Strathe but denote specific derivations within the same lineage, which originated along the Lowland banks of the River Earn.
The Strathe surname is often combined with an adjective to make a unique - and often quite memorable – surname, such as “Straithearn” or “Strathorn”. Additionally, notable owners of the Strathe surname can be found throughout Scotland and the United Kingdom with those outside of Scotland typically adopting one of the many Anglicised spellings. There are also some recorded instances of the Strathe surname being found in the United States.
Famous people with the name Strathe
- Alexander Strathe: former vice-president of the International Union of Railways.
- William Strathe: sculptor and artist.
- Lady Isabella Whitelaw Strathe: British philanthropist.
- Nicolai Strathe: Norwegian actor and singer.
- Ola Strathe: Norwegian playwright and screenwriter.
- Gustav Strathe: Norwegian physicist and mathematician.
- Peder Strathe: Norwegian journalist and editor.
- Carl Strathe: Norwegian painter and theater director.
- Lill Hemmelgarn Strathe: Norwegian actor and singer.
- Conrad Strathe: German mathematician.
- Count Anton Günther Strathe: German aristocrat and statesman.
- Harald Christopher Strathe: Norwegian pianist, harpsichordist, and organist.
- Johan Wilhelm Strathe: Norwegian dramatist and novelist.
- Arvid Strathe: Norwegian engineer, politician, and writer.
- Willem van Strathe Nederlander: Dutch East India Company merchant and colonial official.
- Niklaus Strathe: Swiss caricaturist.
- Tord Strathe: Swedish art director and artist.
- Kristian Strathe: Norwegian sculptor.
- Zeth Strathe: US Air Force soldier and World War II veteran.
- Axel Strathe: Danish business executive.