Genalogy
Sun, 29. December 2002, Peter Steiner
Döbeli (Seetal)
The name Döbeli, widespread in the Seetal, would seem to belong to those family names whose origin and meaning are difficult to explain. However, this is not the case. The forerunner of the Döbelis must have lived in a ravine, a "Tobel", since Tobler is the original form of the name.
Coat of arms of the Döbeli from Fahrwangen
Coat of arms of the Döbeli from Meisterschwanden
The evidence is not difficult to see. In the oldest christening and marriage records of Seengen from the 16th and early 17th century, the name first appears as Tobler or Dobler, but gradually gives way to the diminutive forms Töbeli and Döbeli.
For a long time the old and new forms co-existed. For example, in 1590 Heyni Tobler married, but in the next year he christened a child using the name Heyni Töbeli. In 1629 a groom is named Hans Dobler, but later appears as Hans Döbeli. The names of the corresponding wives (Dorothea Holliger, Barbara Muntwyler) provide the evidence that it is indeed the same men in question.
Coat of arms of the Döbeli from Boniswil
Coat of arms of the Döbelil from Seon
More difficult to determine is why the name became a diminutive; presumably because of the fondness of the locals for playing around with spoken expressions. Our example is by no means the only one. In the Suhrental, for example, one could name Knecht which became Knechtli.
The name Tobler was not universally abridged as it was in Seetal. Elsewhere it retained its original form, or the well-known Toblerone chocolate would be called something different.
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Dokument
- Titel:Döbeli (Seetal)
- Autor:Peter Steiner, Reinach
- Veröffentlichung:29. Dec 2002
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