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Arbogast is an ancient name with its origins in the tribe of the Salian Franks who lived in what is present day Northern France, southern Netherlands and Belgium. The first mention of the name can be found in an Alemannic runic inscription dated around 240 AD. The Alemanns were a neighboring tribe. The inscription, written in Elder Futhark on a case, reads "arogisd/alaguth leubo:dedun". The translation is "arogist/alaguth beloved:made it". The Salian Franks spoke a language that is called Old Frankish. As the tribe encountered the Roman Empire their language became more Latinized. Translated in Latin, "aro" means plow, "gist" means master. This translation makes sense in that these tribes were noted for their ability to turn once forested land into usable soil for agriculture. Arogist was probably the name of a clan within the tribe. Clans were people living around notable members of a tribe. These tribes were called "germanic" by the Romans. The name Arogist became Germanic with the spelling "Arogast". How it became "Arbogast" is unclear as "arbo" does not translate directly in Latin, German or French. It could be a forerunner of the French "arbor". The French language developed from the Latinized Old Frankish or Old French. Thus, the literal translation of the name would be "arbor" or tree and "gast" or guest. Famous Arbogasts include a Count in the service of the Roman Empire and one of the four authors of The Salic Law. Many Arbogasts are found living in Alsace, France. This makes sense because the Salian Franks eventually settled the area that is now France. While the language and the culture of Alsace is heavily influenced by the German, the area and the name "Arbogast" are French.

References: The Laws of the Salian Franks - Katherine Fischer Drew, The French Race - Jacque Barzum, Franco-gallia - Francois Hotman, The History of the Franks- Gregory of Tours, The Long Haired Kings - J.M. Wallace, Salian Franks in eupedia, Runic inscriptions and Salian Franks - Wikipedia.