What does the surname "Naftzger" mean?

October 1, 2009 6:57 AM

Help me track down the meaning of a surname. The name is "Naftzger." It seems to be a Germanic (if not German) word for an occupation (e.g. "Metzger" means "butcher"). But what occupation? What does the "Naf" mean? Bonus points for information on region of origin.
posted by reverend cuttle to writing & language (3 answers total)

According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press:
Nefzger
Name Meaning and History
German: variant of Nafzger, a nickname for a sleepyhead, from a noun derivative of Middle High German nafzen ‘to take a nap’.
posted by katemonster at 7:03 AM on October 1, 2009

What katemonster said. As an explanation for the variant spelling, the "z" in Nafzger is pronounced like a "ts", so the "t" in Naftzger is kind of redundant.
posted by specialagentwebb at 7:05 AM on October 1, 2009

You realise this makes the English equivalent "Napster", don't you?
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:54 PM on October 1, 2009 [3 favorites]