Labuschagne

This ancient surname is recorded in many spelling forms and from several countries. The spellings include Bush (English) Busch, Buscher, Bosch, Bosche, Boschmann (German) and the Prussian Pusch, Puschke, Von Puschke, and Puschel, and compounds such as Buschberg, Buschgraf, and in this case Labusch, Labuschagne and Labusquiere. The latter is definately French, the other two may have French origins. In all cases and however spelt the ultimate derivation is from the pre 7th century Norse-Viking 'buski', which developed into the German, Anglo-Saxon and Olde English 'bysce'. It is claimed in various etymological directories that the name describes 'one who lived by a thicket of bushes'. This may be so, but as the ancient countryside was full of such forestation, it seems logical that the original meaning was much more specific. If so it probably described either a very prominent tree or that sometimes at least, the word (or name) was a short form of a compound such as 'thorn bush'. Perhaps not surprisingly the surname was one of the first to be recorded in almost all northern European countries, and it was also (as Bush) one of the very first of all settler surnames in the USA. Former President George Bush being a direct descendant of John Bush, who was living in Virginia in 1624 when the first 'muster' was carried out. Amongst the very earliest of recordings in Germany was that of Hans Buscher of Rottenburg in 1483, Hermann von dem Pussche, of Dulmen, in 1554, and Georgius Pusch of Berlin Stadt in 1563. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hartmut Busch, which was dated 1283, the charters of Spier, Germany, during the reign of Rudolf, Emperor of Germany and Count of Hapsburg, 1273 - 1291.