Polman, Påhlman, von Pohlmann family

Name Meaning & Origin

​​The name Pohlmann

The surname “Pohlmann” has been present in areas where Low German1Low German or Low Saxon (German: Plattdeutsch) is a Germanic dialect spoken in Northern Germany and parts of the Netherlands. is prevalent,  probably since at least the early Middle Ages. There have been spelling variations of the surname among different families and even within the same family over time, suggesting that bearers of the name with a similar spelling might have a common origin. Variants of the Pohlman/n surname include Paullmann, Paulmann, Poldermann, Poleman, Polman, Polmann and Puhlmann2M. Pohlmann,  “Vorkommen und Herkunft des Familiennamens Pohlmann,” Norddeutsche Familienkunde, no. 5 (September-October 1957): 254–56, and perhaps others, including Påhlman.

What’s in a name?

The name Pohlmann was also used in a few other regions of Germany, especially the city of Bremen and its surrounding areas, the Westphalian region, and Hanover-Braunschweig. According to the DFD, it is a German name ranked 669th in Germany, with 4073 occurrences.3Rita Heuser, “Pohlmann”, Digital Family Name Dictionary of Germany (DFD), http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/669/1, accessed: 16 September 2023 The earliest known instance of a variation of the name dates back to 1254 – Johann Polemann was a preacher at St. Martin in Braunschweig.4ibid The surname Pohlmann was also present in many other cities prior to the Thirty Years’ War, such as Einbeck, Oebisfelde, Stadthagen, Stralsund, Uelzen, and Verden.5Pohlmann

Numerous studies have aimed to unravel the origins of the name Pohlmann and its variations in order to determine whether all individuals with this surname can be traced back to a single family. However, existing research indicates that there was no original Pohlmann family that all lineages can be linked to. The family name in the earlier centuries was limited to the Low German-speaking area, so it can be assumed that the name originates from a Low German word.

A few possible interpretations

Name researchers who have studied the name Pohlmann have come to inconclusive results in their works. Several theories regarding its origin have been proposed, however, including the following:

  • The most straightforward interpretation suggests that the name Pohlmann means “a man from Poland,” or possibly someone trading with or travelling to that country. Names ending in -mann are typically of Germanic origin.6Heuser; Pohlmann
  • According to the well-known name researcher K. J. Brechenmacher, the name comes from the Germanic first name Baldoman (Old High German: bald = bold; Middle High German: balt = bold). Other researchers posit that Pohlmann evolved from the name Paulus, as in the name change from Pohlmann to Paullmann. However, this theory is largely disproved due to lack of data.7Rita Heuser, “Pohl”, Digital Dictionary of Surnames in Germany, http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/90/1, accessed: 16 September 2023
  • Researcher Alfred Pohlmann suggested that the name originated from the Low German word for stake (Dé Paohl). The name was associated with an occupation –  the bearers of the name would have been  builders who made houses on pile grids in swampy areas or on the banks of rivers. This would explain the frequent appearance of the name in disparate locations during the same time period, possibly without any connection to other occurrences. However, there is no heraldic confirmation for this interpretation, nor a comparable surname for the same occupation in High German-speaking areas.
  • Based on the natural terrain of the residence, such as Middle High German bühel (hill), or more likely the Middle Low German pōl, pūl; Middle High German phuol, referring to water-filled depressions such as ponds or pools, or in general a damp, swampy area with stagnant water.8Heuser; FamilySearch. RootsWeb connects this to the English name “Poole” from the Old English pol, also meaning a pool or pond. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~stanier/family/S-Poole.html 
  • It is also possible that the name evolved from local places, such as Pohl (Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia); Pohla (district of Demitz-Thumitz, Bautzen district, Saxony); Pohle (Schaumburg district, Lower Saxony, Springe); Pohlde (Osterode) and Polle (Hamelin-Pyrmont).9DFD, M Pohlman (editor’s note 5)

Clues from heraldry

Researcher M. Pohlmann supports the theory that the name Pohlmann and its variants come from the word Pohl, which refers to a standing body of water such as a pond or pool.10Pohlman This theory is based on evidence, such as the prevalence of ponds in Altmark11A historic region in northern Saxony-Anhalt. villages and their historical importance for various purposes. Pohlmann argues that it doesn’t matter whether the “Pohlmann” in question lived near, owned, or supervised the Pohl – they were associated in some way with the body of water which gave the family its name for generations. 

This theory is further supported by heraldic representations featuring a man standing in a Pohl, as seen on the coat of arms of Stralsund councillor Arnold Pohlmann from 1401 and the tombstone of Johann Wilhelm Pohlmann in a church in Müllenbach. Other heraldic depictions also point in this direction. The author suggests that this theory also explains the frequency and singular occurrence of the name in the Low German-speaking area between 1200 and 1700, with variations in spelling resulting from the way the name was recorded in church books and other records based on its pronunciation.

The family name at Polmanarkivet

During our research into the Polman family, we found that the Estonian branch of the family name was spelled Polman or von Pohlmann (from German), and the name was later adapted to the more Swedish “Påhlman” in 1650 upon the family’s knighthood at Stockholm Castle by Queen Kristina.12“Påhlman nr 501”, Adelsvapen-Wiki, https://www.adelsvapen.com/genealogi/Påhlman_nr_501, accessed: 17 March 2022 Later, the family name transitioned again upon migration to Norway and the US.

Footnotes
  • 1
    Low German or Low Saxon (German: Plattdeutsch) is a Germanic dialect spoken in Northern Germany and parts of the Netherlands.
  • 2
    M. Pohlmann,  “Vorkommen und Herkunft des Familiennamens Pohlmann,” Norddeutsche Familienkunde, no. 5 (September-October 1957): 254–56
  • 3
    Rita Heuser, “Pohlmann”, Digital Family Name Dictionary of Germany (DFD), http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/669/1, accessed: 16 September 2023
  • 4
    ibid
  • 5
    Pohlmann
  • 6
    Heuser; Pohlmann
  • 7
    Rita Heuser, “Pohl”, Digital Dictionary of Surnames in Germany, http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/90/1, accessed: 16 September 2023
  • 8
    Heuser; FamilySearch. RootsWeb connects this to the English name “Poole” from the Old English pol, also meaning a pool or pond. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~stanier/family/S-Poole.html 
  • 9
    DFD, M Pohlman (editor’s note 5)
  • 10
    Pohlman
  • 11
    A historic region in northern Saxony-Anhalt.
  • 12
    “Påhlman nr 501”, Adelsvapen-Wiki, https://www.adelsvapen.com/genealogi/Påhlman_nr_501, accessed: 17 March 2022