Surname Köbis - Meaning and Origin
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Köbis: What does the surname Köbis mean?
The surname Köbis (sometimes spelled Kobis, Köbisch, Koebisch, or Köpisch) is of German origin. It is believed to be derived from the Middle Low German word "köpis" meaning "head" and was originally used as an occupational surname for a person who was head of a guild or a district. The spelling of the name has evolved over the centuries and is now used mainly in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States.
In Germanic languages, the name often takes the form of the noun, meaning the head or the leader. This reflects the original purpose of the name as an occupational surname for a leader of a guild or a district. Köbis is also a patronymic meaning “son of Köbis”. This is a common surname in parts of Europe and in the United States where immigrants settled, especially in Plattdeutsch-speaking regions.
The Köbis surname can refer to different families who used the name in different parts of Europe during different periods of time. There are several variations of the name, but the meaning and origin remain the same. The German spelling of the name is Köbis, while in other regions the spelling may vary slightly.
Overall, the surname Köbis has a long and rich history that extends far into the flowering of Germanic culture. It is an occupational surname that reflects the leader of a guild or district and the familial relationships that would have been formed by these individuals. It is a strong and unique German surname that has been handed down from generation to generation.
Order DNA origin analysisKöbis: Where does the name Köbis come from?
The last name Köbis is most commonly found today in Germany, particularly in the eastern regions of the country, such as Saxony, Brandenburg, and Thuringia. It’s also present in nearby countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Poland.
The Köbis name is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages, coming from Low German and ultimately deriving from the Dutch “coop”. It is believed to be a toponymic name indicating a person from Köpenick, a district in Berlin, or Coburg, a city in Germany. In some cases, the name may have originated from Koblenz, a city in western Germany.
Köbis is still a relatively common name in Germany, with around 3,800 people bearing it. It is particularly popular in Berlin and the surrounding states of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. Outside of Germany, the surname is found in Swiss regions such as Basel-Stadt and Zurich; Austria, particularly the Vienna area; and some parts of Poland.
In recent decades, the surname has become more widespread due to immigration, particularly of Germans to the US, UK, and Australia. This has resulted in more individuals bearing the Köbis name being found in these countries, as well as in other parts of Europe and North and South America.
Variations of the surname Köbis
The surname Köbis is a patronymic surname, derived from a short form of a personal name, Karl, by adding the diminutive suffix -bis or -itz. It is a German surname, primarily found in southwest Germany and Austria.
The variants of the surname Köbis include Köbisch, Köbesser, Köbl, Köblitz, Köbels, Köbel, Köbner, Koebisch, and Koebitz.
Köbis can also be spelled Kobis, Kobisch, Kobbisch, Kochbisch, Köbbisch, Köbsch, Kobesch, Koebisch, Koebitz, Kobblitz, Kobel, Kobels, Kobenz, Köblin, Köbpisch, Kobler, and Köbner.
In some cases the surname has been altered to Kobl, Köblin, Köba, Koba, Koebe, Koble, Köbler, Köblerin, Köbbelin, Köppel, Köppel, Koepel, Koepelin, Köpel, Köps, Köpsen, Koplen, Köpelmann, Köppelmann, Koppen, Köpsel, Köpser, and Köops.
The surnames Köbis, Köbl, and Köbels are all derived from the same origin, and are closely related. They are all derived from the name Karl and the suffixes -bis, -bl, -bels. The German word "bis" means "to the", and thus the surname likely refers to being related to or tracing back to someone named Karl.
Famous people with the name Köbis
- Johanna Köbis: Johanna Köbis was a German trade union activist and Marxist revolutionary who is regarded as a martyr of the proletariat. She was executed in 1906 by Prussian authorities for her role in a general strike.
- Michael Köbis: Michael Köbis was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. He served as a member of the German Bundestag from 1987 to 1998 and as Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety from 1998 to 2002.
- Frieda Köbis: Frieda Köbis was a German socialist and suffragist who played an important role in establishing the first German women's rights organizations in 1907. She is considered a pioneer of the German women's movement.
- Wilhelm Köbis: Wilhelm Köbis was a German architect responsible for designing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, which was badly damaged in World War II but later restored.
- Wilhelm Köbis: Wilhelm Köbis was a German politician and member of the Centre Party. He was a member of the Reichstag from 1919 to 1933 and served as the president of the German Catholic Laymen's Association from 1933 to 1945.
- Peter Köbis: Peter Köbis is a classical composer and conductor based in Germany. He has composed operas, ballets, and other musical works, and has conducted major orchestras in numerous countries.