The unusual name[s] is what attracted me to this gravestone.
There is a Frebold House of some historical importance in Ancaster (where I saw this grave stone) but other than that there is no information on the family. I admit I didn't try too hard, though was surprised to see the name appear a few times on Ancestry.com (which I am not serious enough into to pay for a membership). But I did do some research of the names.
Fridtjof is a Scandinavian name meaning 'peace thief'. I wonder if his parents thought of that when naming him? Or maybe he was named after Fridtjof Nansen whose interesting life achievements you can read on a post from Badass of the Week. He did win the Nobel Peace Prize (among other distinctions) which I find a tiny bit ironic.
Adalbert is an an even lesser used name and is an archaic German variant of Albert and means 'noble bright'. An Adalbert was a mystic and the patron saint of Bohemia back in the 8thC. Except for a Prince or two of Prussia and Bavaria there aren't many listed Adalberts in wikipedia after the mid-12thC. Then suddenly there is a Bulgarian footballer born 1969. So maybe it isn't as unusual as originally thought.
What a handle to carry with you through the world.
ReplyDeleteI think I could have called each of my children, 'Peace Thief'. Interesting post and such wonderful names.
ReplyDeleteBeneath Thy Feet
This should be the grave of the son of Hans Frebold, a german geologist and polar explorer, who emigrated to Canada. see http://2dgf.dk/xpdf/bull32-03-04-181-185.pdf
ReplyDeleteThank you for this link!
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