crim

Hi, Im trying to find out what my mothers German surname means, its a very rare name. I can't find any info about it. The name is von Meiswinkel. In America it was changed to Maiswinkle, I was told von Meiswinkel was the original spelling. Thanks for any help.

Androc

Hello Crim!

first of all: I am no specialist for names etymology, but I could propose three explanations to you:

1) The manual one:
This name could come from the two words
"Meißel", which means "chisel" and
"Winkel", which means "angle"
My deduction in this case: an ancestor of your grand' ma was somebody
like a sculptor ore a building worker ore an architect.

2) The romantic one:
This name could come from the words
"Meise", which is the bird "tit" and
"Winkel", which also means the "corner" ore the "place".
In this case your ancestor could have live in some place full of birds.

3) The embarassing one:
"eine Meise haben" means "to have a screw loose" and - as I already
explained -
"Winkel" means the "place"...
Sorry, but in this case your ancestor would have live in a region full of
crazy people...

I don't know which explanation you like the most... and maybe somebody else would find some others? My feeling says to me that the number 2 is the correct one...

Best greetings from "good old Germany"!
Androc