Updated June 9, 2019

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Family name origins & meanings

  • German : from Middle High German armbrust, earlier arbrust ‘crossbow’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbows or for a soldier who used one. This term is adapted from Old French arbalestre, Late Latin arcuballista, a compound of arcus ‘bow’ + ballista ‘catapult’. In Middle High German it was altered by folk etymology as if composed of the elements arm ‘arm’ + berust ‘weaponry’. When the latter term became obsolete it was replaced by brust ‘chest’.