Surname Reinbothe - Meaning and Origin

Reinbothe: What does the surname Reinbothe mean?

The last name Reinbothe is a German surname derived from the Middle High German term “reinbouhn.” The literal meaning of the word can be translated to ‘clean or pure body/being’. As such, the surname likely originated with people who lived a particularly holy or religious life, such as priests or monks.

It is believed to have first emerged in Bremen, Germany during the 1100s. Many people have adopted the name over the years, thus creating variations in spelling such as Reinbow and Reinbogen.

Reinbothe is a surname commonly associated with the house of Saxony-Anhalt. They are considered to be an aristocratic family descended from rulers of the area. In 1586 Ambroso Ercole de Este, the Duke of Este, raised Reinbothe to the noble position of Freiherr (Baron) due to their loyalty and dedication to the Duke. The Reinbothe estate was called ‘Gut Tarnowitz’ which is located near Magdeburg, Germany and is still owned by a descendant of the original Reinbothe family.

Reinbothe is most prominently found throughout Northern Germany, but there are also a few families with the name scattered throughout other European countries. It is a unique and recognizable German surname, representing centuries of a proud and dedicated lineage.

Reinbothe: Where does the name Reinbothe come from?

The last name Reinbothe is common today in Germany and various other parts of Europe. It is also found in the United States, though not as frequently. A forebear of the Reinbothe family first appeared in the German city of Oldenburg in 1539. During the 16th and 17th centuries, a few members of the Reinbothe family moved east, and their descendants eventually settled in Poland and the former Russian Empire.

In the 19th century, many Reinbothe family members emigrated to the United States and Canada. These emigrants were primarily driven by economic motivations such as finding better opportunities and avoiding military conscription. Some were members of religious minorities, such as the Mennonite and Amish communities, that wanted to avoid religious persecution.

The Reinbothe family also began to settle in other parts of the world in the 19th century. The family can be found in South America and Australia, in addition to western European countries like France, Italy, and Great Britain. It is unknown exactly how many people today are descended from the Reinbothe family, but genetic testing has confirmed its presence in all parts of the world.

Given its history and dispersal to many parts of the world, the Reinbothe family is relatively common today. While it is not found in large numbers anywhere, the family continues to have members all over the world and can be a source of shared cultural identity that bridges distances of time and place.

Variations of the surname Reinbothe

The surname Reinbothe is a German patronymic name meaning "son of Reinboto". It is a branch of the Rein- names derived from the German word 'Rein', meaning "pure".

Variants of Reinbothe include Reinbold, Reinboold, Reinboldt, Reinbolt, Reinbott, Reinbotte, Reinbottle, Reinbotton, Reinbottu, Rheinbold, Rinbold, Rinboldt, Rosenbott, Rosenbottel and Rosenbotten.

It is most commonly spelled Reinbothe, as this is the traditional German spelling, however in some instances it may be spelt Rheinbothe and Rhinebothe due to phonetic variation.

The surname Reinbothe is found all over Europe, and variants of the name can be found in France, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Russia.

Spellings of the surname Reinbothe can also vary based on where it is found, with some common spellings outside of Germany being Renbothe, Renbotte, Rinbode and Rinbolt.

Additionally, surnames that have derived from Reinbothe include Reimbott, Reinboth, Rinbold, Rinbothe, Reinbottel, Rineboult, Reimbold, Reynbold and Reimboldt.

In the United States, Reinbothe is usually pronounced as 'Rine-both-ee', and may be found written as Renewbothe, Rinabott, Rinebode and Rinebought.

Reinbothe is also an uncommon given name, deriving from the German word 'Reinheit' meaning 'purity'.

Famous people with the name Reinbothe

• Henno Reinbothe: German artist and defendant in the Nuremberg Trials.
• Amrei Reinbothe: German film and television actress.
• Georg Reinbothe: German painter and printmaker.
• August Reinbothe: 18th-century astronomer and priest from East Prussia.
• Wolfgang Reinbothe: German organist and composer.
• Ada Reinbothe: German soprano and founder of the Berlin Philharmonic Choir.
• Adolf Reinbothe: German theologian, author and poet.
• Adele Reinbothe: German philanthropist and activist.
• Otto Reinbothe: German actor, director, screenwriter and author.
• Joachim Reinbothe: German philosopher and professor.

Other surnames

Reinboth