Pfades

Pfades is a term that may be encountered as a German-language noun form and as a family name. In German grammar, Pfades is the genitive singular form of Pfad, meaning “of the path.” In modern standard German, the typical genitive construction is des Pfades, and Pfades is found mainly in fixed expressions, older texts, or dialectal spellings. Outside of such uses, Pfades is rarely used independently.

As a surname, Pfades is uncommon. Public records show it only rarely, with instances documented primarily in German-speaking regions and among people of German descent in diaspora communities. Surnames of this type are generally thought to originate from toponymic or occupational roots related to paths or routes, but precise etymologies are not widely established in available sources.

Because Pfades is not associated with a well-known place, organization, or widely recognized public figure, there are limited entries in standard reference works. In practice, people with this surname are typically identified within genealogical or civil records rather than biographical encyclopedic articles.

See also: Pfad, Pfade, des Pfades.