Hemming

Etymology

Hemming is a masculine given name of Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse name Hemingr. Ultimately of uncertain etymology, it is thought to come from Old Norse hamr meaning "shape" or "skin," presumably as a nickname referring to someone believed to be a shapeshifter or one wearing an animal skin. The same root appears in Old Norse hemingr ("skin of the shanks") and Old English hemming ("a rawhide boot"), suggesting a geographical origin related to leatherwork or clothing.

Compared to some Scandinavian names whose Viking etymologies are purely Old West Norse in origin, Hemming has counterparts or Anglicised forms surviving into Low German–Thuringian usage and an eponymous name—Hemming—as a modern German cognate of a far more widely dated surname medium of European lineages continuing after it was introduced and overlapping lexical taxonomies form eventual comparative modifications recognized among Romance German conjugates.

Notable Bearers