Bothe

Bothe is a Dutch surname. It is a variant of Both, which itself is derived from the Low German given name Bode. Ultimately, Bothe traces back to the Old High German element bot meaning 'command, order'. The name thus likely originated as a nickname for a person who was authoritative or obedient, or perhaps as a metronymic or patronymic from a personal name containing this element. The surname Bothe has its roots in the medieval Germanic name tradition, where names like Bodo (the older form) celebrated concepts of leadership and command. A notable early bearer was Saint Bodo (also known as Leudinus), a 7th-century bishop of Toul, though the surname Bothe emerged later as a German and Dutch family name.

Notable Bearers

Several individuals have carried the Bothe surname, many excelling in intellectual, athletic, or political fields:

• Walther Bothe (1891–1957), German nuclear physicist and Nobel Prize in Physics laureate, known for the Bothe–Geiger coincidence method and contributions to quantum theory.
• Herta Bothe (1921–2000), German female guard at Nazi concentration camps, convicted as a war criminal.
• Elsbeth Levy Bothe (1927–2013), American attorney and judge noted for founding pro bono legal services in Maryland.
• Hans-Werner Bothe (born 1952), German neurosurgeon and philosopher, known for research on ethics in medicine.
• Detlef Bothe (born 1957), East German sprint canoeist who won silver medals at the 1974 and 1978 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.
• Heinz-Jürgen Bothe (born 1941), German rower who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.
• Ida Bothe (fl. 1881–1890), German-American painter, embroiderer, and educator; among the first female students at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin.
• Roger Bothe (born 1988), American soccer player who has played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL.
• Sabine Bothe (born 1960), German team handball player who participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
• Stephan Bothe (born 1984), German politician of the CDU and member of the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt.

The geographical distribution of Bothe is highest in Germany, with substantial numbers in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, and in the Netherlands. As an Afrikaans variant, the spelling Botha is common in South Africa from early Dutch settlers.

• Meaning: "command, order" (through Old High German bot)
• Origin: Dutch and German, as a variant of Both
• Type: Surname (from a given name)
• Usage Regions: Netherlands, Germany, South Africa (via Botha)