Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Roosevelt” come from?

Roosevelt is an English surname derived from Dutch veld, ultimately tracing through Proto-Germanic fulþuz and Proto-Indo-European pelh₂- and pel-, meaning open field or plain.

Ancestry of “Roosevelt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1DutchRozenveld—
2Dutchroosrose, ornamental plant of the genus "Rosa"; rose,...
3Middle Dutchrōse—
4Middle Frenchrose—
5Old Frenchrosé—
6LatinRosa—
7Ancient Greekῥόδονrose; 423 BCE, Aristophanes, The Clouds :ῥόδα μ’...
8Old Persianwurdiflower
9Proto-Germanicwurdizfate, destiny
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwrti-—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
12Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “Roosevelt”

  • Rooseveltian
  • tetrarooseveltite
  • rooseveltite
  • רוזוועלט
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →