A Schéiwesch

What is the origin of the name “A Schéiwesch”?

Back in the day, the houses in our villages had names. The inhabitants were called by their first names and house names. The family name played a secondary role; sometimes it wasn’t even known, as it was not used.

Towards the end of the 19th century, my great-grandfather came to Moutfort as an artisan. He was a wheelwright and needed a house, as well as a workshop, so he acquired the vacant house from the village shepherd.

Today this house no longer exists; it was the family residence until the completion of the new building at the current address: 30 rue d’Oetrange. In 1904, when they moved into this house, they kept the name ‘shepherd house’, hence the name “A Schéiwesch” in old Luxembourgish.

The shepherd was one of the poorest families in the village. He would take the pigs from the locals in the morning – at that time everyone had at least one pig -and go with the herd to the woods, where the pigs could find something to eat. In the evening, the animals returned to their barn and also had more to eat.