Surname Diethe - Meaning and Origin
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Diethe: What does the surname Diethe mean?
The surname Diethe is of German origin and is a topographical name derived from the Middle High German word ‘diet’, meaning ‘foliage’ or ‘forest’. Derived from this root word, the last name Diethe likely described someone who lived in or around a forested area having trees and vegetation that provided additional protection and resources.
The name Diethe is found in many different German states; including, Bavaria, Hessen, Prussia, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia. It first appeared in medieval Westphalia as a name for someone who lived near a forest. It later spread to areas such as Rhineland, Saxony, and Brandenburg.
In its many forms, the surname Diethe has various spellings including: Deit, Deite, Deyte, Deth, Dethi, Diet, Diete, Dieten, Dieter, Diets, Dit, Dith, Ditt, and other variations. It may be seen in records from the Middle Ages, when it was mainly a hereditary name used in western Germany. It is also seen in records from the 16th century when it was used by several noble families and well known families.
Similar surnames to Diethe include: Deitrich, Deitmann, Dietsch, Dietschmann, Dietsche, Dietrich, and Dietrichs.
Order DNA origin analysisDiethe: Where does the name Diethe come from?
The surname Diethe is a very common German last name today. It is a common surname among families living in Germany and people of German descent. The exact origin of the name is not known but is thought to either come from the Old German word Dioda, meaning “a person's share of inheritance” or from dī teō, a German-Old Saxon word meaning “to divide.”
Since the name originates from Germany, Diethe is a very popular surname in that country and can also be found in other countries that have significant populations of ethnic Germans. For instance, it can be found among residents of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, the United States, Canada and other countries. It is also prevalent in some former German colonies in Africa.
In recent years, the surname Diethe has grown in popularity and is a very common surname in many European countries. It is one of the top last names in Germany and many other German-speaking nations, including Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and the Netherlands. In the United States, Diethe is also a popular name, especially in the Midwest where many German immigrants settled during the 19th century.
Overall, the last name Diethe is very common today, being especially popular in Germany and other German-speaking countries. It's growing popularity in many parts of the world is evidence of its historical importance and how Germany's culture has left an enduring imprint on many countries worldwide.
Variations of the surname Diethe
The surname Diethe is derived from the Germanic personal names "Thiodoric" and "Dietrich", which mean 'people rule'. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Diethe are:
• Diether
• Dieth
• Deth
• Deeth
• Deathe
• Teodoric
• Teodory
• Teodorici
• Diez
• Diederich
• Diedrich
• Dedrich
• Dedrick
• Dedric
• Tedderick
• Tedric
• Dietz
• Dietsch
• Ditze
• Ditzel
• Dietzel
• Ditschell
• Tidrick
• Tidrickes
• Teterick
• Tetericks
• Theodoric
• Theodoricus
• Thied in Germany,
• Theede
• Thidric
• Thiedrick
• Thiedric
• Dieterich
• Detrich
• Dietrichson
• Dietericksen
• Diehr
• Dear
• Dearman
• Deerman
• Determanns.
Diethe is a German variant of Teutonic, Old German and Middle High German given name Dietrich or Thiedric meaning ruler of a people. Diethe was originally a surname for a person of this name and people with it would have been the descendents of those who adopted the surname 'Diethe' for themselves or by reference to an ancestor who was associated with this name. Diethe is also a common personal name, as are its variants Diether, Deth, Deeth, Deathe, Teodoric and Teodory.
The spelling and pronunciation of names can be fluid and regional, and as such, there are many alternate spellings of the surname Diethe. Occasionally, the surname may even slightly change over time as it is passed down through generations. Those include Diether, Dieth, Deth, Deeth, Deathe, Teodoric, Teodory, Teodorici, Diez, Diederich, Diedrich, Dedrich, Dedrick, Dedric, Tedderick, Tedric, Dietz, Dietsch, Ditze, Ditzel, Dietzel, Ditschell, Tidrick, Tidrickes, Teterick, Tetericks, Theodoric, Theodoricus, Thied in Germany, Theede, Thidric, Thiedrick, Thiedric, Dieterich, Detrich, Dietrichson, Dietericksen, Diehr, Dear, Dearman, Deerman, and Determanns.
No matter its spelling or pronunciation, it's clear that the surname Diethe has German roots and is commonly found within Germanic countries.
Famous people with the name Diethe
- Johann Friedrich Diethe (1730-1788): a German pastor, orthodox theologian and professor at the University of Giessen in the eighteenth century.
- Louisa Diethe (1752-1833): the youngest daughter of Johann Friedrich Diethe, she was an amateur scientific illustrator, known for her remarkable watercolours and drawings of plants.
- Mathias Diethe (1801-1878): a German painter, teacher, and etcher and father of sixteen children.
- Hermann Diethe (1858-1937): a German sculptor and graphic artist and father of German Expressionist painter Robert Diethe.
- Robert Diethe (1886-1977): one of the most important German Expressionist painters of his time and the son of Hermann Diethe
- Franken Diethe (1920-2004): a German football manager and later director in complications of German football association.
- Rüdiger Diethe (born 1955): a German physicist and international authority on the physics of the upper atmosphere and space technology.
- Horst Diethe (born 1960): a former German footballer who played for several clubs in the 1980s and 1990s.
- Rasmus Diethe (born 1983): a Danish actor and playwright.
- Harley Diethe (born 1990): an Canadian actor and stuntman who had a supporting role in the 2014 blockbuster movie X- Men: Days of Future Past.