Elster

Borrowed from German Elster.

Elster (plural Elsters)

1. A surname from German.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Elster is the 39555^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 556 individuals. Elster is most common among White (91.19%) individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Elster”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York City: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 524.

From Middle High German elster, alster, agelster, from Old High German agalstra, from Proto-West Germanic *agastrijā (“magpie”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈʔɛlstɐ/

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• Hyphenation: Els‧ter; pre-1996: El‧ster

Elster f (genitive Elster, plural Elstern)

1. magpie

   "Die diebische Elster" ― "The Thieving Magpie" (Opera by Rossini)

• In the folklore of German-speaking Europe (as well as many other parts of Europe), the magpie is accused of being in the habit of stealing small objects such as jewellery, coins, etc. Therefore the bird is often called diebische Elster (“thieving magpie”), and this epithet is also used jocularly to describe someone who takes or borrows things without asking.

• elstern

• “Elster” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache