The family name has undergone several changes over the past 500 years. Including Klaabye, Klaaby, Klåby, Klåbye, Klobye, Kloby, Kloubye, Klouby. First references mentioning the family name dates back to the end of 1400th century (unsure) and begining of the 1500 century (Source: 'Ribe Ting' 1561 (county land register). Today, and more or less since 1904, the family name is spelled "KLAABY".
The meaning of the name is unsure, however old studies suggests that the name itself derives from old norse and could refer to a
- A tree fork (gaffel gren) (old Danish "tvege"). A dowsing rod by using a divining rod, usually a forked twig, to find anything — water, beams etc.in the ground. Also known as "well witching". (Danish: grengaffel, forgrening i træ. Vandviseren brugte udtrykket "klåw" om den gren (tvege), han viser eller finder vand med. En "...stang eller stötte, der er udvoxet i to grene i enden kaldes "æn kluw"). Swedish: Klyka = Y-formet gaffelgren / a tree fork.
- "Klaa" / Klå" som i betydningen ”bøjet” eller ”krog” jf. ”afkrog” noget der ligger afsides. ("Klaa" refers to an faraway area in the landscape).
- "Klå"/ "Klaa"/"Klo"/"klø" = "Claw". E.g. bird, falcon or eagle claw. From Proto-Germanic "klawō", whence also Old English "clawu" (English claw), Old Frisian "klawe" (West Frisian "klau"), Old Saxon "klawa", Dutch "klauw", Old High German "klāwa", "chlāwa" (German "Klaue") as well as from Ælder Norrön (Old Norron): "Orn" (arnar, emir), m.. Arnar-fjöðr=Örnefjœder=Ørnefjer=Eagle Feather, Arnar-vængr= Ornevinge=Ørnevinge=Eagle Wing, Arnar-klo=Orneklo=Ørneklo=Eagle claw. Kilde/source: Ælder Norrön (Old Norron).
Pronunciation of "KLAABY" = [ˈklɔːɔˌby].
Copyright @ All Rights Reserved