German (Böhm), Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): ethnic
name for a native or inhabitant of Bohemia (now the western part of
the Czech Republic), from
Böhmen, German name of Bohemia
(Middle High German
Böheim,
Beheim). This derives
its name from the tribal name
Baii +
heim ‘homeland’;
the
Baii were a tribe, probably Celtic, who inhabited the
region in the 1st century
ad and were gradually displaced by
Slavic settlers in the period up to the 5th century. The same tribe
also gave their name to
Bavaria (see
Bayer). Bohemia was
an independent Slavic kingdom from the 7th century to 1526, when it
fell to the Habsburgs. In 1627 it was formally declared a Habsburg
Crown Land, and by the Treaty of Versailles it became a province of
the newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1919. This is also found
as a Swedish name.