Armbrust Family History

German: from Middle High German armbrust earlier arbrust ‘crossbow’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbows or for a soldier who used one. This term is adapted from Old French arbalestre Late Latin arcuballista a compound of arcus ‘bow’ + ballista ‘catapult’.

In Middle High German it was altered by folk etymology as if composed of the elements arm ‘arm’ + berust ‘weaponry’. When the latter term became obsolete it was replaced by brust ‘chest’.