Where does “Birkenfeld” come from?
Birkenfeld (German) comes from German feld, from Middle High German vëlt, from Old High German feld, from Proto-West Germanic felþu, from Proto-Germanic felþuz, from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
Ancestry of “Birkenfeld”, step by step
Birkenfeld traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German feld
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | feld | field plot of open land, especially one used to grow crops |
| 2 | Middle High German | vëlt | — |
| 3 | Old High German | feld | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | felþu | field |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | felþuz | field, plain |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pelh₂- | to approach |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |