Surname Pothast - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'P'
Pothast: What does the surname Pothast mean?
The last name Pothast is a German surname, having roots in both English and German cultures. The name is derived from a combination of two words, pot and hast which means “pot-holder”. It is thought to have originated from a person who either worked with or made pottery, or was a pot holder.
Pothast is likely an occupational surname, as is true for many Germanic last names. The overall meaning of the German surname Pothast is that of “craftsman of a pot or pottery”. Those carrying the name would have been seen as respected and skilled artisans in the pottery craft during the medieval period. During that time, pottery was highly valued and seen as an important part of everyday life.
Many people bearing the Pothast surname can be found in Germany and in areas of Europe colonized by German-speaking communities, such as the United States and Canada. For those with Pothast lineage, it is also common to find family members displaying similar occupations, such as working in the pottery and ceramics field.
The Pothast last name carries a meaningful and significant history. It plays a role in helping to tie ancestors to their past, and to understanding the hardships and successes of a family’s history. Furthermore, it serves to create a sense of pride in the past craftsmanship of a particular group.
Order DNA origin analysisPothast: Where does the name Pothast come from?
The last name Pothast is most common in Germany today. It is estimated that there are approximately 500 individuals who share the name in the country, making it a relatively rare surname.
In the United States, the last name Pothast is much less common. The Census Bureau estimates only about 200 people share this last name across the whole country. It is more commonly found in certain regions, such as the northern Great Plains, the upper Midwest, and Southern California.
The last name Pothast has Germanic roots, but its exact origin is not well understood. Records document people with this surname living in Germany as early as the thirteenth century and traces of the name can also be found in Denmark and Sweden.
The Pothast family name is derived from the Middle High German word ‘pothast’, which is thought to mean ‘potter’ or ‘maker of pottery’. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have been potters or ceramic workers.
Ultimately, the Pothast last name can be traced back to Germany and is most common in the country today. However, due to immigration and emigration, it is now found in other parts of Europe, the United States, and elsewhere.
Variations of the surname Pothast
The surname Pothast is of German origin and can appear in numerous variants, spellings and even surnames of similar origin. The most common variant of this surname is Pothof or Pothoof, which is the conventional German spelling. Other patronymic spellings, originating from higher clerestory German surnames, include Pother, Poth dem Dach, Pothmann, Pothmannn, Pöhhorst, Pohorst, Poth, Potthast, Pothe and Potzer. These variants may suggest usage of a different dialect or even a slight change in the pronunciation of the original surname.
Other surnames derived from Pothast include Potty, Pott, Potteck, Potters, Potthoff, Potzkow, Polthhz, Pozon, Pozenson, Possell and Pozzini. These variants can be attributed to the use of Eastern or foreign language variants such as Polish, Bohemian, Latin, Yiddish as well as translations into English. Such variants have also been adopted within North American countries such as the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Pothast is also known to be an uncommon Occitan variant variant found particularly in the Southern part of France and historically, in the Orleanais region. Furthermore, research shows that Pothast is commonly connected with Spanish, Portuguese and Italian variants such as the Puesta, Paola, Pustais, Potas and Pothi. In Spanish, the pronunciation of Pothast is usually accentuated as 'pote-ast' whereas the Italian and Portuguese variants are usually pronounced as 'poe-thas-te'.
In conclusion, the surname Pothast appears in a variety of spellings, variants and surnames of similar origin. The different spellings and pronunciations found within these variants can be attributed to numerous influences of other languages including Eastern European, Western European, North American, Latin and even Yiddish.
Famous people with the name Pothast
- Hans Pothast: German painter
- Kim Pothast: American softball player
- Charles Pothast: American painter
- Hermann Pothast: German theologian
- Michael Pothast: German wrestler
- Ruth Pothast: German writer
- Kurt Pothast: German photographer
- Kirsten Pothast: Danish actress
- Richard Pothast: German soccer player
- Artur Pothast: German clay pigeon shooter
- Joachim Pothast: German swimmer
- Rolf Pothast: German sailor
- Wilhelmine Pothast: German author
- Annette Pothast: German film producer
- Uwe Pothast: German musician
- Andy Pothast: American mixed martial arts fighter
- John Pothast: American water polo player
- Emma Pothast: American painter
- Rachel Pothast: American poet
- Walter Pothast: German politician