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What important surname dictionary is there in your country?
In the German sphere you have the following important dictionaries (without claim to completeness):
- Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon, 1967, 598 pp (has a number of later reprints with unchanged content).
- Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann, Deutsche Sippennamen, 1936, 1515 pp (1st edition in five volumes, has a revised 2nd edition in two volumes renamed Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Familienamen, 1957-1960).
- Gottschald, Max, Schützeichel, Rudolf, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, revised 5th edition, 1982, 667 pp (has a revised 6th edition from 2006).
- Kohlheim, Rosa, Kohlheim, Volker, Duden Lexikon der Familiennamen, 2008, 720 pp.
- Naumann, Horst, Familiennamenbuch, revised 2nd edition, 1989, 328 pp (has a number of later reprints with unchanged content).
Furthermore, you have numerous German surname dictionaries with restricted topics, like Mecklenburgian, Silesian, and Pomeranian surnames, Polish surnames in the Ruhr area, Czech surnames in Vienna, Lusatian surnames of Slavic origin, Low German surnames that are composed by a (contracted) sentence, medieval surnames in the city of Basel etc. etc.
Just two of them that do have a somewhat wide subject and that can be expected to partly exceed the aforementioned generalist dictionaries shall nevertheless be mentioned:
- Linnartz, Kaspar, Unsere Familiennamen - Band 1 - Zehntausend Berufsnamen im Abc erklärt, revised 3rd edition, 1958, 274 pp (ten thousand surnames derived from professions only).
- Linnartz, Kaspar, Unsere Familiennamen - Band 2 - Aus deutschen und fremden Vornamen im Abc erklärt, revised 3rd edition, 1958, 292 pp (surnames derived from first names only).
The highest scientific authority do have the Gottschald and the Brechenmacher. But they are somewhat expensive. The Bahlow is both cheap and good and can be recommended if someone wants to get a good grasp on German names. The Duden to my perception is just a compilation without notable own etymologies.
Both Linnartz dictionaries are somewhat unknown.
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