Interesting name for a deserter

[tony_gunter]

Zero F*cks given?

 

[Pollaco]

I knew a pharmacist here named Fuchs. He called himself Fox. You can almost bet old Henry ****s did not pronounce his last name like it was spelled.

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Now now, let us not laugh, for the F*cks were Nobility:

https://www.houseofnames.com/****s-family-crest

https://forebears.io/surnames/****s

https://crestsandarms.com/pages/****s-family-crest-coat-of-arms

 

[Bur Oak]

I knew a pharmacist here named Fuchs. He called himself Fox. You can almost bet old Henry ****s did not pronounce his last name like it was spelled.

Assuming the name came from German, I believe the pronunciation would be "Fooks" (rhyming with "spooks.")

Wondering if the newspaper in the OP got the spelling wrong. Anybody checked the records?

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Zero F*cks given?

View attachment 557078

I have never heard that last name before. I certainly would not want it, and would not want to have to do genealogy research for it!

 

[Booklady]

I have never heard that last name before. I certainly would not want it, and would not want to have to do genealogy research for it!

Just imagine the google results.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

I worked for a company some years ago that had offices world-wide and we entertained fellow employees from overseas who had the last name in the OP. Taking them around to introduce them to other people in the office was a trial for our bosses.

I sympathized. The German branch of my family changed the spelling of their last name within one or two generations of landing on these blessed shores because of a similar problem. For fun, do a google search of American English words that are obscene in other countries. Those folks overseas sometimes have to try to not laugh too when Americans visit them!

 

[R. Porter]

I worked with a guy who told a story about when he played soccer in high school. In his case it wasn't a European name it was a Cambodian first name, Phuc. He said this fellow played for another school and they didn't know anything about him until the first game between the two schools. It happened that during the heat of the game parents from the other team would shout in unison the name of their player who was running down the field with the ball. As you might guess, Phuc got the ball and was running down the field hotly pursued until suddenly the parents from his school started shouting his name, Phuc!, Phuc!, Phuc!... This was so unexpected by my friend's team that they hesitated in disbelief. Score one for the other side.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Couldn't resist looking this up-

21 English Words That Sound Dirty In Other Languages (But Aren’t)

There are a lot of English words that are offensive in other languages, or at least sound dirty. Tread carefully with these.

www.babbel.com

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Just imagine the google results.

Hahaha!

 

[John Grant]

The man came from Prussia (Germany) and his name was Heinrich Fick or Ficken in German.

Why was his name translated into English in the newspaper? Perhaps by the newspaper or by the immigration authorities?

The name dates back to a time when the word was not yet considered obscene and is still often found in Germany today.

 

[tony_gunter]

I'm

The man came from Prussia (Germany) and his name was Heinrich Fick or Ficken in German.

So you're saying if he founded a new town in Mississippi, it would be Ficksberg?

 

[John Grant]

I think he deserted to South Africa... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficksburg

 

[51st Georgia]

He deserted? So thats where "F**k off" came from.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

He deserted? So thats where "F**k off" came from.

Haha! Good one.

 

[Stryker65]

Just imagine the google results.

Hey, there are kids here...

 

[Old Soldier]

Fuchs in German = Fox in English. Quite a common surname. The name in the newpaper is a common English interpretation but in German it sounds more like 'ferks' although it DOES sound different depending on which part of Germany you hear it. The 'ch' is rather long, gutteral and pronounced in the back of the throat, especially in the North.

 

[rebelatsea]

There is a German coach company with the brand name "****er" with an umlaut above the U. I used to overtake one of their coaches regularly driving on the M20 which goes between London and Folkestone (for our non English friends). They are some of the best presented passenger road vehicles I have ever seen. Real Germanic pride.

 

[Trooper "D"]

I worked with a guy who told a story about when he played soccer in high school. In his case it wasn't a European name it was a Cambodian first name, Phuc. He said this fellow played for another school and they didn't know anything about him until the first game between the two schools. It happened that during the heat of the game parents from the other team would shout in unison the name of their player who was running down the field with the ball. As you might guess, Phuc got the ball and was running down the field hotly pursued until suddenly the parents from his school started shouting his name, Phuc!, Phuc!, Phuc!... This was so unexpected by my friend's team that they hesitated in disbelief. Score one for the other side.

Isn't there a place with that name in its title from the song "Wherewolves of London"? Its where he gets the bowl of beef chow mein.

 

[Trooper "D"]

I knew a pharmacist here named Fuchs. He called himself Fox. You can almost bet old Henry ****s did not pronounce his last name like it was spelled.

Guy on my swim team had that name and he pronounced it (feyooks).