Joe, if I remember right, the suffix "weiler" (it exists as an own noun too) developed from the latin word "villa" or "villarium" to the old-high-german "villare/vilare" to the middle-high-german and new-high-german word "weiler". It means "hamlet" or small village. The suffix (often in connection with a persons name, e.g: Butzweiler=bodardis vilaris=village of archbishop radbod) is typical for franconian settlements during the 8th ct., that were founded near old roman farmhouses etc. That explains, why the suffix is regionalized; the romans settled only in west/southwest Germany. I once read, that ~vilare was used in the time as other germanic suffixes were stigmatized as pagan. But I`m not sure about this. Duden dictionary says: Weiler, der;-s (lat.): Mehrere beieinander liegende Gehöfte, kleine Gemeinde. (Some hamlets, small municipal commune) Wahrig dictionary says: keine eigene Gemeinde bildendes, nur aus einigen Gehöften bestehendes Dorf (Village, consisting only of some hamlets, no own commune) I`m sure, Barbara translates this better :-) Regards Ernst ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Urexweiler - Saarland > As I understand it (and if anyone can a better explanation - please do so) "weiler" as a suffix to a name can be best be translated as the "ville" suffix to many English speaking names. It seems to be very regionalized in that it used mostly in southwestern Germany as in the Rheinland and the Saar. > > > Can anyone tell me if the "weiler" as part of a village/dorf or town name > >has any meaning? > > ------------------- > > > > ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html > to unsubscribe >