Recorded in many forms including Kaub, Kauba, Kaube, and Kaup, the diminutives Kauble, Kaublein, and Kaupel, and other forms as well, this is a German medieval surname. It has several possible origins. Firstly it may be a transposed spelling or short form as 'Kob' of of the biblical name Jakob, introduced into Europe by knights retruning from the famous Crusades to free the Holy Land in the 12th century. As such and in this context Jakob is a Christian not a Jewish surname. Secondly it may have been residential and as such would have described either a person who lived by bull rushes (kaub), or who had the occupation of collecting and marketing rushes used widely domestically. Thirdly it is also possible that some nameholders came from a village called called Kaub or Cube. This is probably the case with Jakob Cube or Caub of Kreuznach in the year 1487. Occupational surnames, whilst usually the most popular of all surnames groupings, did not usually become hereditary until or unless a son followed a father into the same line of business. The earliest of all recordings is a diminutive being that of Haintz Kobelin of Leonberg in the year 1350, whilst Adam Kaub is recorded at Deidesheim in 1552.

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