Surname Ottes - Meaning and Origin
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Ottes: What does the surname Ottes mean?
The last name Ottes is of German origin and is an occupational name derived from the word "ote," meaning "worker." It likely refers to someone who worked at an otto, a communal house or manor usually owned by a noble or powerful family.
The Ottes family may have owned a home and lands, or perhaps their entrepreneur ancestor managed lands for a family or other noble. In Germany, ottos also served as craft guilds, housing handicraft workers and providing training to other members of the community. Some ottos controlled entire villages, while others had just a few staff who supplied food and crafts to the local population.
The family name likely dates back to medieval Germany, and over the centuries the Ottes family spread throughout Europe. Later, during the 19th century, large numbers of the Ottes family migrated to the United States and Canada, as well as Australia.
Today the Ottes family continues to contribute to society. The diverse skills and trades of their hardworking ancestor live on in the many professions and businesses of contemporary Ottes families. From doctors, lawyers, and teachers to entrepreneurs and philanthropists, the Ottes family continues to innovate and make an impact on the world.
Order DNA origin analysisOttes: Where does the name Ottes come from?
The last name Ottes is most common in Germany and Denmark today. It derives from the Middle Low German ‘Otte’ meaning ‘son of Otto’ and was commonly used as a patronymic, or surname derived from the given name of a parent or ancestor. Records suggest that the last name was used as early as the early 1200s, and as such it is quite an old family name.
In Germany, Ottes is found in several areas, with the ‘-es’ spelling most common in the western and northern German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, and Lower Saxony. However, the ‘-ez’ spelling is also common in those areas and it is also used in southern Germany, Bavaria, and the Rhineland (also known as Rheinland).
In Denmark, the Ottes name has a long history, and it is most commonly found in the northern and eastern parts of the country. The name was brought to Denmark in the 12th century by merchants from Germany, and today it can be seen in several different forms, most often as Otte or Otzen.
As a family name, Ottes has spread across Europe, with the Ottes surname found in England, France, Sweden, and other countries as well. In the United States, the name is particularly common in the state of Iowa, and can be found with a variety of spellings including Otte, Ottes, Oates, Oats, and Owens.
Variations of the surname Ottes
Ottes is a patronymic or surname derived from the personal name 'Otto'. This is a name that originated in the Germanic languages and was in use as early as the Middle Ages.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Ottes include Otes, Otees, Otez, Otho, Oth, Ote, and Ottis.
The surname Ottes could be Anglicized to 'Otis'. Variants of this name include Otis, Oates, Ottes, Otess, and Oats.
Older variants of the surname 'Ottes' include Othhold, Othoc, Othos, Oththrop, Otfrid, Otfryd, Othar, Othe, Othen, Othor, Othon, Ottar, and Otten.
In France, the surname Ottes became 'Ettes', whereas in Italy, Ottes became 'Ottolino'.
Within the Dutch culture, the surname was spelled 'Ottesz' and might be pronounced 'Oats' or 'Ottes' even today. In other parts of Europe, such as Denmark, Greece, and Norway, the surname is spelled 'Ottesen'.
In Scotland, the surname became 'Otte', 'Otteson', and 'Otterson'. The Scottish version of Ottes is also spelled 'Othson', while some families adopted 'Oteson' as their surname.
In Spain and Portugal, the surname Ottes is spelled 'Otteses' and 'Ottesa', respectively. In Sweden, the surname is 'Otteson'.
In certain countries, the phrase 'Ot' could be a nickname of Ottes, while some families chose to shorten the name to 'Otta'.
Regardless of the variant spelling, Ottes is generally understood to be the same origin and is an easily recognizable name.
Famous people with the name Ottes
- Bill Ottes: German football manager who was in charge of Bayern Munich Lens from 1998-2003.
- Osmar Hector Ottes: Argentinian football midfielder who played for Racing Club de Avellaneda from 1998-2002.
- Philipp Ottes: German Paralympic swimmer who competed at the Summer Paralympics in 2000 and 2004.
- Rolf Ottes: German sprinter who competed at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Ylva Ottes: Swedish alpine skier who competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics.
- Christian Ottesen: Norwegian tennis player who has represented Norway on the Davis Cup team.
- Magnus Ottesen: Norwegian rower who competed in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Toril Ottes: Norwegian handball player who played for the Norwegian national team at the 2006 World Women's Handball Championship.
- Matias Ottes: Chilean football player who currently plays for Ñublense in Chilean Primera División.
- Markus Ottes: Austrian aikido practitioner who has been the president of the Austrian Aikido Federation since 2001.