Yesterday’s question was “What is the historical origin of the name ‘Tolkien’ and what did it mean?” Now before I give the answer, one of the commenters said that the source I use for these trivia questions got this wrong and that is a myth that has been perpetuated. Anyway, here is the answer that was given there:
Because of his daring unofficial raid against the Turks at the siege of Vienna in 1529, George Von Hohenzollern was given the nickname Tollkuhn, meaning “foolhardy.”
The name’s meaning is correct, but Louis E. says about the trivia book’s conclusion of where it comes from:
He relates as fact a Tolkien relative’s family story that the name was given,after a stunt in battle,to a man named “Georg von Hohenzollern”,when the description of this in Humphrey Carpenter’s authorized biography welcomes people to draw the obvious conclusion that the relative was deluding herself if no one else…just because the family originally came from the princely state of Hohenzollern does not mean that they would have the family name that would indicate they were members of the ruling house.Someone named “English” is not implicitly a member of the British royal family,but a “von Hohenzollern”,with the noble particule,would be a relative of the monarch and unlikely to ditch that for having been remembered for taking a risk.
So make of that what you will.
Here is today’s question: “What is Sam’s full name? And if you’re extra geeky, what is it in Westron?” Answer tomorrow.
