The etymology of the seemingly German “Paffgen” [Päffgen] lastname - is it a kinsword of Dicken’s Fagin/Fagan?

L

Levia Van Kales

Clone of banned member
English - Britain
Hard to come by online an etymology for the lastname “Paffgen”. Is it linked to the Dickens lastname Fagan/Fagin?
Thanks.
 
    • I don't think there is such a name. Could it be that you mean Päffgen (as in the name of the Cologne brewery) and not Paffgen?
     
    I understand it as Ripuarian (the dialect region where the name occurs) for standard German Pfäffchen, a diminutive form of Pfaffe = clergyman. But I could be wrong. We should check with a local. @Gernot Back?
     
    Of all the regions in Germany, the surname "Päffgen" actually occurs most frequently in North Rhine-Westphalia. The same is true for surnames like "Röttgen", "Schiffgen", "Schnütgen", "Stütgens".

    I would also interpret the ending "-gen" as the Ripuarian version of the diminutive "-chen", pronounced [jən]. In the Ripuarian dialect, however, the "Pfaffe" (pastor) would be spelled and pronounced "Paaf" with a long "a". In the case of the surname with diminutive, however, a shortening would also be possible. The family name also exists in the spelling with only one "f". But I doubt that it would be pronounced with a long "ä" in this case.

    The surname "Paff", whose etymon probably does indeed go back to "Pfaffe" (pastor), is most common in Hessen, but NRW is already in second place.
     
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