Where does “Ludwig” come from?
Ludwig is a German personal name from Old High German Hlūtwīg, derived from Proto-Germanic hlūdaz and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ḱlew- and ḱel-.
Ancestry of “Ludwig”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Ludwig | — |
| 2 | Middle High German | Ludewig | — |
| 3 | Old High German | Ludhuwīg | — |
| 4 | Old High German | Hlūtwīg | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | Hlūdawīg | meaning famous in battle |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | hlūd | loud; sound |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hlūdaz | loud; famous |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlewtos | heard, famous |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |