German names are strong and have a long history behind them. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Heidelberg. Your support, through donation or affiliate useage, allows ManyRoads to remain online. Because German genealogical records were kept in various languages, you may find your ancestor's name in different languages at different times. Merrow. Schmidt is the most common surname in the central German-speaking and eastern low German-speaking areas. "The Top 100 German Surnames." This is taken from the Hebrew name 'hevel' meaning 'breath,' 'vanity' or 'vapor.'. This list may not reflect recent changes. Accola. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations. The following 110 pages are in this category, out of 110 total. If you are researching ancestors (family) in the US, it is unlikely that your family records are referring to this relationship or ethnic group membership. View Census Data for Prussian | Data not to scale. German immigrants may have been grouped together as the overly broad term "Prussians." The misleading label may believe their actual identities: Pomeranians, Rhinelanders, Hanoverians and more. The endings -s or -es show possession. Use of the ending may result in vowel changes, such as "Hnschen", which is "little Hans". Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/german-last-names-1444607. Our team is comprised of parents, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the parenting space. Prussia was effectively abolished in 1932, and officially abolished in 1947. This is closely followed by Schmidt (which is associated with the blacksmiths trade and can also be recognized in variations such as Schmitt or Schmitz). You might even be happy to see that detail rather than the even more generic Germanyuntil you look at the map and realize how big Prussia had become in the 19th century. As the various provinces and duchies of German fell under the rule of different countries, the language used in records could change. In addition to church records, tombstones (often more detailed in earlier eras than they are today) will sometimes have villages of origin carved on them. The list was initially created by searching for the most common last names in German telephone books. Germany - Names, Personal - Handbooks, manuals, etc. Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Specifically for Prussian areas that are now in Poland, Kartenmeister gives loads of information about the villages east of the Oder and Niesse rivers (the current boundary between Germany and Poland). Braband German. These describe the rank or trade of the original surname recipient and are the second most common group. Many people there had German ancestors who emigrated from Saltzburg and a variety of other German cities and states. Hermann Josefs Sohn would mean Joseph's son Hermann. Browse profiles of historical people with the Prussian last name, This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. German Names from 1495, by Aryanhwy merch Catmael About a hundred masculine and feminine given names collected from an Perhaps the name is misspelled in a record or has multiple names. For each Germanic surname in this glossary, we have provided the English meaning, which may or may not be a surname in English. Sebastian = Bastian Christophel = Stophel Christina = Stin or Stina Katharina = Trin Note that these familiar forms are used in church or other records, even though by today's standards we might expect formal names to be used. This gazetteer can be helpful in determining which Catholic and Protestant parishes a village belonged toinformation not found in the Meyers Gazetteer. Ancestry.com has a collection of these records: Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 18741945.. Find your German last name and learn about the meaning and origins of different German surnames. (2023, April 5). Prussia : 1790 : 1867 Anderson : Hordaland : Norway . Or, at least, a record might identify a Provinz (province; plural is Provinzen) to narrow down the search to a particular area of Prussia. Christopher I, Burgrave and Count of Dohna-Schlodien, Countess Katharina Dorothea Finck von Finckenstein, Friedrich Heinrich Ferdinand Leopold von Forcade de Biaix, Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Ernst Heinrich von Forcade de Biaix, Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix, Friedrich Wilhelm Leopold Konstantin Quirin Freiherr von Forcade de Biaix, Mathias Franz Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske, Friedrich Albrecht Karl Herrmann, Reichsgraf von Wylich und Lottum, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Prussian_nobility&oldid=1107202751, Template Category TOC via CatAutoTOC on category with 101200 pages, CatAutoTOC generates standard Category TOC, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 August 2022, at 18:51. Notice that there is no apostrophe. In 1871, German states united in creating the German Empire under Prussian leadership. Some farm families, particularly in Westphalia, used the particle "von" or "zu" followed by their farm or former farm's name as a family name. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found. Minert has published more than 20 volumes to date, each with an abstract showing origins written in the more commonly used church registers (baptisms, marriages and burials) but also harder-to-find record groups such as membership lists. (For more see Wikipedia). At first surnames applied only to one person, not to the whole family. East Prussia was the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772-1829 and 1878-1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning. Few of the latter are on the following list, but examples include Brinkmann, Berger, and Frank. House of Alvensleben. . 26). Most of them originated in mediaeval towns and villages, and as each one had its Carter, Hayward, Thatcher, Smith, and Tailor there were a multitude of original bearers of the name. A team led by German genealogy scholar Roger P. Minert continues to compile the valuable book series German Immigrants in American Church Records (Family Roots Publishing). In 1790, Baden was the first German state to require fixed surnames. By the 1820s, most small German states had extended civil rights to Jews and required them to adopt surnames. (US civil vital records, too, might have specific place names, but this is less likely.). Fortunately, many US censuses inquired about the respondents place of birth, making them a possible source for your ancestors Prussian origins. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Subjects were often reluctant to comply, so several decrees were needed. For most, naturalization was a two-step process that required a declaration of intent followed by a petition for naturalization. Compulsory surname laws were enacted in the German states of Bayern and Mecklenburg in 1813 and 1814. List of Bavarian noble families. Today we are celebrating our mermaid community during MerMay with the release of the following mermaid-themed names, only available for a limited time: Mermaid. Once youve found your ancestral town of origin and located it on a map, you can consult a few different resources for Prussian records. Where is Pomerania? And they are: During the 13th century, the Old Prussians were conquered by the Teutonic Knights, and gradually assimilated over the following centuries. Few of the latter are on the following list, but examples include Brinkmann, Berger, and Frank. If major changes occur in the naming patterns or form used, that could indicate a ministerial change, perhaps one coming from another area. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prussian surname lived. Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. 24), and Schmid (No. It contains information about name variants, ancestry, extent and well-known personalities of the line. 2. A version of this article appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Family Tree Magazine. What are the most popular Dutch surnames? Surnames developed from several sources. Because many of the Prussian areas were either destroyed (nearly completely) in the allied bombardments and assaults of WW2 and most Prussian areas were ethnically cleansed of 99+% of all native German speakers between 1945 and 1950, even tiny clues are most important. The former German state of Prussia took its name from the Baltic Prussians, although it was led by Germans who had assimilated the Old Prussians; the old Prussian language was extinct by the 17th or early 18th century.The land of the Old Prussians consisted approximately of central and southern East Prussia - the present-day Warmian-Masurian A small collection of women's given names from Arnsburg, in Hessen. For People Proud of their German Heritage, Interesting German historical and cultural facts, Here are some of my thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in northeast East Prussia (Ostpreussen) and Memel. The third most popular last name is Meier (which derives from a term for a high-ranking farmer) and is very common in the low Geman-speaking areas. Be aware that as people moved, this might change their surname, and it may revert back and forth within the same records. The historical state, political entity, of Prussia (English)/ Preuen (German)- see the blue map on the right.Again quoting from Wikipedia: East Prussia (English)/ Ostpreuen (German), was a political subdivision/ province in the nation-states of Prussia and Germany. Alber (name) Albin (surname) Albrecht; Albrich; Alemann; Allerstorfer; Allmayer; Allram; Alms (disambiguation) Alpenheim; Alscher; Alt (surname) Alterman; Altermann; Altmaier (surname) Altmann (surname) Some records preface names with occupations, and the occupation may erroneously be indexed as a given name. Bauer, Ingrid. Barbara, for example, can appear as Barbel, Barbele, Barbeli, Brbel, Brbelchen, Brmel, Bbi, or even Wawerl or Wetti. But with the right attitude, dedication, and tools, you can find your ancestors who lived within the limits of the former kingdom. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more. (Kevan Hansens Map Guide to German Parish Registers series, found in many libraries that have German collections, can also give this information.). (All vestages of German government and control were removed following WW2. A couple who have identical first and middle names chose to have different surnames when they got married to avoid confusion. Seafarer. Men often take on the wife's surname if moving onto her property. With this list of German last names, discover the origin of your surname and how your ancestors made it come to life. From 1824-1878, East Prussia was combined with West Prussia to form the Province of Prussia, after which they were re-established as separate provinces. As German immigrants moved into English-speaking countries, their surnames were impacted in a variety of ways. Even after 1871, Germany's land area and political influence shifted several times. Ambly des Ayvelles. In January 1871 Germany became a unified country. https://script.byu.edu/Pages/the-french-documents-pages/the-french-documents(english), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_name, https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Germany_Personal_Names&oldid=5187196, Surnames of wives and mothers often end with, Another form, indicating a female bearer of a surname, was the addition of a genitive, Most of the time the surname spelling changed to accommodate the, Within the German community, such as the local parish, immigrants may continue to use the proper German name, while at the same time. The average life expectancy for Prussian in 1972 was 71, and 82 in 2002. Trace your ancestry in Prussia, Bavaria and more with our guide to research in Germanys historical regions, What is Prussia? Prussian civil registration dates to 1874 in most places, and (for the most part) are kept in the civil registry office (Standesamt) where the event occurred. Abram. Ammendorf family. This category has the following 14 subcategories, out of 14 total. ThoughtCo, Apr. 2005- 2023 eirenicon llc. For example: In most of Germany, the practice of using surnames was well established by the. This is a patronymic name derived from the reduced form of the name 'Abraham' that means 'father of a multitude.'. History of German Names. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. When you face one of these problems, your first stop should be the Meyers Gazetteer, the leading geographical dictionary of German lands published in the Second Empire period and available online. There are 51 immigration records available for the last name Prussian. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. Many of these professions no longer exist but survive in naming traditions. But many of these families had a common denominator. For the veterans among your Prussian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions. (see below). Initially, they were mainly a way of distinguishing between people more easily and as settlements grew into villages, and later towns and cities, descriptions of professions such as tailor, miller and cobbler/shoemaker were attached to peoples first names using the Latin word dictus (called) e.g. Examples: Feuerstein= Firestone, Schwarzenbach (er) = Blackcreek [which evolved into "Blackrick" and other phonetic spellings], or simply "Black". "The Top 100 German Surnames." This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 15:19. The Top 100 German Surnames. This List of Bavarian noble families contains all 338 Bavarian aristocratic families named in 1605 by Siebmacher as well as further additions. Aalbers Abela Abele Abeles Abrahamsen Achen Achter Achter Achterberg Acker Ackerman Addicks Adriance Akerman Akkerman Al Alberda Albers Alderink Alders Ale Alers Alkema Alles Alper Alsteen Ameling Amerman Amster Andries Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). What does it mean when a record(s) says that your family member was Prussian? Other examples include names such as: Bamberger Bielfeld Erfurt Fischbeck Oldenburg Still others described the location where the person lived. Pages in category "German-language surnames" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 4,357 total. Terms such as modo, vulgo, genannt, and alias indicate this naming practice. 100% of Prussian men worked as a Laborer. Prior to 1900, formal surname changes documented in local court records are relatively rare. Extra care needs to be taken to make sure that the correct people are included in the family group and that no one is accidentally overlooked. It was ethnically cleansed of Germans by Poland, the Soviet Union and the allies after World War 2. The use of patronymic names was prevalent in the Schleswig-Holstein and Ostfriesland areas in northern Germany. German inflation had "peaked" however, he added, predicting it would slow from 5.9 per cent this year to 2.7 per cent next year. German immigrants may have been grouped together as the overly broad term Prussians. The misleading label may believe their actual identities: Pomeranians, Rhinelanders, Hanoverians and more. After a few generations, these names became hereditary and were passed on from generation to generation. Surnames may also have been translated outright into English, sometimes with a slight twist. 3. Frisian names are used in Friesland in East and North Frisia in northwestern Germany. Prussian genealogy research isnt always easy. These embarkation lists (as well as handwritten indexes for them that might be needed as a workaround for bad handwriting) are available on Ancestry.com. The more clues you can unearth the better. Tip: If you are researching this area and are examining a time frame earlier than 1947, you should focus on German place names and social conventions in order to maximize your success. PVF was established to research and preserve the culture, genealogy and history of the Pomeranian people who came to the territory of Wisconsin and founded Freistadt in 1839. . Germans may also use "-el" as a diminutive ending. This page has been viewed 166,064 times (14,599 via redirect). Rudat German (East Prussian) Variant of Rudatis. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. In November 1918, the monarchies were abolished and the nobility lost its political power. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure. Arick Prussian Dallmann Prussian Prussian Fuge Prussian Hittenrauch Prussian from the prussian word von hittenraoucht meaning "of royalty" Langwer Prussian Lemke Prussian Prussian Pommerania Lubbe German, Slavic, Prussian Variant of Lubben. For example, one branch of the Schwarzenbach(er) family adopted the surname Blackcreek, later Blackrick. Prussia/Preuen was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. German given names are often derived from, If an elder child died young, the parents frequently, Some children received as many as four or more given names at baptism. Some local groups are transcribing them, but youll need to write to the office to get records from most places. You also wont want to miss the Germany-based supersite CompGen, which hosts research-aid primers for all of the former Prussian provinces, a historic gazetteer (GOV), and links to many regional groups. To view this content, you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. The use of patronymics continued until decrees were passed that required persons to adopt permanent hereditary family names. 4. Prussian Name Meaning Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. Surname Changes of German Immigrants in the United States, Surname Changes of German Immigrants in Hungary. In many areas of Germany there is a widespread use of "Hofnamen" or "farm names" used. Most military records, for example, were unfortunately destroyed in WWII bombing (though documents from independent Hanover have survived). The Family History Library has large volumes of microfilm containing births, marriages and deaths from historical Prussia. German last names originate from places and professions inGermany and far beyond, as a list of 100 of the most common German surnames shows. refused to name politicians allegedly involved in looting . About Us. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/german-last-names-1444607. Teutonic Knights and their descendants, the Baltic Germans, prospered for 700 years in north eastern Europe. Though its home page is in German, the site has an English-language interface called Genealogy.net. Should you wish to learn more about Prussia and its history, ManyRoads offers extensive texts as well as maps on Historical Germany and Europe. Minnesota had the highest population of Prussian families in 1880. In some areas of Germany, individuals took a second surname from the name of a farm.. A good way to determine naming customs of the area is to study the patterns found in the records of birth/christening, marriages, and burials/deaths. For example, the Schleswig-Holstein Rootdigger group has more than 100,000 emigrants documented, while the website Ahnenforschung im InternetRaum Rheine has hundreds of emigrant names from the Rhineland. Jews in Germany followed the custom of using only a given name and the name of the father, such as Isaac, son of Abraham (Isaac ben Abraham). In Germany, these occupational names still form the largest group of German surnames. do not look for your family to be German before 1871; there was no Germany before 1871! 2, also appears as Schmitt (No. The acronyms are noted because you won't find the translations for these names in standard online translators or even most German dictionaries. But for the many Prussians who left via the port of Hamburg, embarkation lists show even more detailed information. Given that Prussia (the country) covered as much as ~135,000 square miles with a population of nearly 40 million people; names and dates are not enough to go on for a successful genealogical search. dan hicks sportscaster salary,

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