Der Spiegel is a weekly news magazine. 100 Russian Last Names 1. The terms meaning differed greatly during the half-millennium in which the Hohenzollern family wielded power in Central Europe, many of its members crowned Kings of Prussia.. Though its home page is in German, the site has an English-language interface called Genealogy.net. Rudat German (East Prussian) Variant of Rudatis. 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. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names. A version of this article appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Family Tree Magazine. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This List of Bavarian noble families contains all 338 Bavarian aristocratic families named in 1605 by Siebmacher as well as further additions. Because German genealogical records were kept in various languages, you may find your ancestor's name in different languages at different times. German Last Names and Their English Meanings, The Meaning and Origin of Famous German Names, Everything you need to Know About German Names, The History of Popular German Last Names (Nachnamen), A German-English Glossary of Popular German Abbreviations, Learn How to Say the Days of the Week in German, Learn the German Lyrics to Two Hit Songs by Die Prinzen, German for Beginners: Occupations (Beruf), How The Nursery Rhyme 'Eins, Zwei, Polizei' Can Help You Learn German, Translations of 3 of Rammstein's Top Hits, Conjugations of the Most-Used German Verbs. Find your German last name and learn about the meaning and origins of different German surnames. 4. The Prussian family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. Dive into this disappearing state with this overview of Prussian history. Likewise, early German censuses were thrown away, though some remain in local government archives. Other record groups havent survived the regions tumultuous 20th century. Notice that there is no apostrophe. This category has the following 14 subcategories, out of 14 total. 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. 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). Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Baptismal Sponsors In German-speaking areas, children were almost always named for one or more of their baptismal sponsors. As the various provinces and duchies of German fell under the rule of different countries, the language used in records could change. Dialect spellings can often give a clue to the origin of the name and even the region where an ancestor lived. Here are some of the US records most likely to reveal your Prussian ancestors town of origin. Many of these have been digitized and indexed; look at FamilySearchs list of collections to see whats available for Prussia or the modern German/Polish state your ancestors town of origin is in. The last name could, for example, also be what you would call a farm name. Before record keeping began, most people had only one name, such as John. Or, at least, a record might identify a Provinz (province; plural is Provinzen) to narrow down the search to a particular area of Prussia. In 1880 there was 1 Prussian family living in Minnesota. all rights reserved. This list may not reflect recent changes. If his wife inherited a farm, he might change his name to her maiden name. (For more see Wikipedia). Spelling of German surnames often changed to reflect. However, an "attitude adjustment" will help you solve your Prussia problems. Subjects were often reluctant to comply, so several decrees were needed. 2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. How Continue reading My thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in EastPrussia. Occupational name meaning "cooper, barrel maker" in German. East Prussia (Ostpreuen) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 to 1945. (All vestages of German government and control were removed following WW2. Men often take on the wife's surname if moving onto her property. Get unlimited access to premium articles. If you are researching ancestors (family) it is possible that your family records are referring to this area. Ackermann. To give just two examples: Even once you have a town name, you might not be able to simply type it into Google and locate it on a modern map of Germany. For the veterans among your Prussian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions. 100% of Prussian men worked as a Laborer. You can find large collections of ethnic German-American congregational registers on the free FamilySearch as well as major subscription sites Ancestry.com and MyHeritage. For more parenting tips and tricks, find us on Pinterest: Are you a writer, expert, or influencer? Here are some of my thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in northeast East Prussia (Ostpreussen) and Memel. German names are strong and have a long history behind them. Do not sell or share my personal information. Another valuable tool can be the Prussia, Municipality Gazetteer, 1905 (Gemeindelexikon fr Knigreich Preussen) on Ancestry.com. ManyRoads' work and material is licensed under a: 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 You can see how Prussian families moved over time by selecting different census years. 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. Episode 02- March 2019 So you think your ancestor was Prussian.pdf. Understanding customs used in German names can help you identify your ancestors in records. It is worth noting that in US Census records this term rarely appears after 1871, the year of the creation of the Second Reich- Germany. 2 With this list of German last names, discover the origin of your surname and how your ancestors made it come to life. Some records preface names with occupations, and the occupation may erroneously be indexed as a given name. This is taken from the Hebrew name 'hevel' meaning 'breath,' 'vanity' or 'vapor.'. You can also find geographic-specific databases of emigrants relating to Prussian areas. Multiple given names were often the names of, Germans occasionally use "-chen" and "-lein" as diminutive endings meaning little. Gretchen could be translated little Greta (Margret). Many people there had German ancestors who emigrated from Saltzburg and a variety of other German cities and states. 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. 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. 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. Browse profiles of historical people with the Prussian last name, This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. For example: Althaus ("old house") Birnbaum ("pear tree") In some areas of Germany, individuals took a second surname from the name of a farm.. This writer is a part of the FamilyEducation editorial team. Dukes of Prussia Junker (Prussia) A Althann Ambly des Ayvelles Johann Wilhelm von Archenholz Arco family Arnim family Arz von Wasegg Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald Rudolf von Auerswald B Ballestrem Barnekow family Beissel von Gymnich Bentheim (noble family) Cornelius von Berenberg-Gossler Heinrich von Berenberg-Gossler East Prussian German (and thus heavily Lithuanian influenced) surname derived from Lithuanian puaite " (young) pine tree", which - allegedly - used to be a term of endearment for a young girl. In many cases, the first reference to Prussian ancestry that you see will be from an American record. Minnesota had the highest population of Prussian families in 1880. Listen to this articles Sometimes surname spelling variations are based on dialect (a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group) differences. This is not a list of equivalent names, but rather a sampling of English translations or meanings of German names.In many cases, there may be several possible origins or translations for a surname. Between 1972 and 2002, in the United States, Prussian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1991. Perhaps, the following explanations and links will help clarify the matter.To begin with you need to be aware that there are, at least, four major categories or groups of people with clear and justifiable claims to being Prussian. There are 251 census records available for the last name Prussian. Seafarer. However, an attitude adjustment will help you solve your Prussia problems. Understanding Prussian History, 6 Ways to Find Your German Ancestors Place of Origin, Researching Genealogy in Historical German States, Best UK, Irish and Commonwealth Genealogy Websites, Family Tree Templates and Relationship Charts, How to Find Your Ancestors US Military Records, Preserving Old Photos of Your Family History, Surnames: Family Search Tips and Surname Origins, Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America, hosts research-aid primers for all of the former Prussian provinces, a historic gazetteer (GOV), and links to many regional groups, Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 18741945.. While every record of an immigrant, spouse and children has some potential for a specific village name, church records are far and away the most likely to include such information. For most, naturalization was a two-step process that required a declaration of intent followed by a petition for naturalization. These names include: Applebaum apple tree; Birnbaum pear tree; Buchsbaum box tree; Kestenbaum chestnut tree; Kirschenbaum cherry tree; Mandelbaum almond tree; Nussbaum nut tree;. 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. (US civil vital records, too, might have specific place names, but this is less likely.). The average life expectancy for Prussian in 1972 was 71, and 82 in 2002. Some US records may yield the gold standard of immigrant genealogy research: an exact village of origin. Or maybe there are too many villages with the same name to pin down your ancestorslike how theres a Springfield in nearly every US state. Fishtail. Fortunately, many US censuses inquired about the respondents place of birth, making them a possible source for your ancestors Prussian origins. Many of these professions no longer exist but survive in naming traditions. The following is a screenshot of the full list of current last names available: We will continue to make additional updates to the available last name pool . This list is different than one showingpopular German surnameswith their English translations. What are the most popular Dutch surnames? 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. 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. 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). 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). 2. Ill walk you through three steps to tracing your Prussian ancestors. Most Popular German Last Names on Family Education: Abbas, Altergott, Adler. Aachen (German nobility) House of Absberg. Adelebsen (German noble family) Ahlefeldt (noble family) Albertine branch. Surnames may also have been translated outright into English, sometimes with a slight twist. Hermann Josefs Sohn would mean Joseph's son Hermann. Examples: Feuerstein= Firestone, Schwarzenbach (er) = Blackcreek [which evolved into "Blackrick" and other phonetic spellings], or simply "Black". Schmidt is the most common surname in the central German-speaking and eastern low German-speaking areas. 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. In February 1920, Germany (after it had been defeated in 1918) handed over West Prussias central parts to become the so-called Polish Corridor and the Free City of Danzig, while the parts remaining with the German Weimar Republic became the new Posen-West Prussia or were joined to the Province of East Prussia as Regierungsbezirk West Prussia. Accola. The meanings of German last names are those as defined initially when these names became surnames. These decrees were passed in 1771, 1820, and 1822 in the province of Schleswig-Holstein and in 1811 in Ostfriesland. )Once again excerpting from Wikipedia: The truth is you really need to know to which of these four groups your family belongs or area(s) from which they came, if you are to have any success in finding their evidence/ records. This is an Ashkenazi Jewish last name of German or Old English origins with the meaning 'plowed field.'. "The Top 100 German Surnames." At first surnames applied only to one person, not to the whole family. First Trimester To-Do List: Take Care of Yourself. Gender and grammar can affect German surname endings. The use of patronymic names was prevalent in the Schleswig-Holstein and Ostfriesland areas in northern Germany. Several books are available that list variant forms of given names. Germans may also use "-el" as a diminutive ending. Occupational Names [edit | edit source]. 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. Contact. Derived from the name of the region of Brabant in the Netherlands and Belgium. Surname Changes of German Immigrants in the United States, Surname Changes of German Immigrants in Hungary. Other examples include names such as: Bamberger Bielfeld Erfurt Fischbeck Oldenburg Still others described the location where the person lived. Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Your support, through donation or affiliate useage, allows ManyRoads to remain online. If a German moved onto someone else's farm estate (or Hof), it was not uncommon to change his last name to that of the farm. Bauer, Ingrid. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/german-last-names-1444607. 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. Once youve found your ancestral town of origin and located it on a map, you can consult a few different resources for Prussian records. . Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. The endings -s or -es show possession. The 10 Most Common German surnames (with English translations) Becker - baker Fischer - fisherman Hoffmann / Hofmann - courtier or steward Meier or Meyer - manorial landlord, or later, a self-employed farmer Mller - miller Schmidt - smith Schneider - tailor Schulz - sheriff (medieval) Wagner - wainwright (maker & repairer of wagons) Weber - weaver History of German Names. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prussian surname lived. the "eit" at the end of their Surnames. Some of these collections are also on Ancestry.com and MyHeritage, since the two companies helped fund some of FamilySearchs digitization projects. Alternative Spellings & Variations: Anya, Anna, Anne, Aine, Anje, Ania Famous Namesakes: German mountaineer Anja Blacha, Danish charity worker Anja Ringgren Lovn Peak Popularity: While the German spelling of Anja has never ranked in the top 1,000 baby names in the U.S., the name Anya has risen in popularity since the 1980s, peaking in 2009. Find your Dutch last name and learn about name meanings and origins in the Netherlands. More about Hofnamen can be studied here. Most German surnames derive either from archaic professions (such as Schmidt, Mller, Weber, or Schfer) or places. Our team is comprised of parents, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the parenting space. Different branches of the same family may adopt various surname spellings. Some areas of Germany may use diminutive forms of names more than others. Most Jews did not adopt hereditary family names until required to do so by law. 26). 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. Although it is not obvious today, Prussia was once one of the worlds great powers. 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). Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. (For more see Wikipedia). A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. Archion.de and Matricula have growing browsable databases of Protestant and Catholic records, respectively. But with the right attitude, dedication, and tools, you can find your ancestors who lived within the limits of the former kingdom. A patronymic surname is a surname originated from the given name of the father. "The Top 100 German Surnames." Prussia/Preuen was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Preuen issued an edict on 11 March 1812 that required that permanent family names be adopted within six months. Both contain valuable information about origins; make sure you look for both document types. Ambly des Ayvelles. Apply this search to the main name collection, the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name, search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes, this field understands simple boolean logic, force a term to be included by preceding it with a, force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a, sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations, syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations, names without pronunciations are excluded from results. Prussia shaped the history of Germany, with its capital in Berlin after 1451. The Top 100 German Surnames. Apply this search to the main name collection, the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name, search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes, this field understands simple boolean logic, force a term to be included by preceding it with a, force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a, sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations, syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations, names without pronunciations are excluded from results. This gazetteer can be helpful in determining which Catholic and Protestant parishes a village belonged toinformation not found in the Meyers Gazetteer. Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. https://www.thoughtco.com/german-last-names-1444607 (accessed May 1, 2023). Compiled by subject specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide provides print and online resources for researching the genealogy of German families in the U.S., along with key national, state and local histories. View Census Data for Prussian | Data not to scale. The list is an alphabetical overview of Bavarian nobility. (Kevan Hansens Map Guide to German Parish Registers series, found in many libraries that have German collections, can also give this information.). The more clues you can unearth the better. In addition to the individual volumes, which you can find in libraries that have substantial German genealogy collections, Minert has created a set of consolidated indexes to the first 14 volumes, which you can find in libraries with large German collections. in German studies. This was 100% of all the recorded Prussian's in USA. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Heidelberg. 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. 2, also appears as Schmitt (No. German Eaglessingle head 640 years, double-headed 366 years, then single head ever since 1871. 2005- 2023 eirenicon llc. The Old Prussian tribes inhabited eleven regions (in the Old Prussian language, " tautos "), whose names are mentioned in writings from the 13th century: Semba, Ntanga, Nadrava, Pamede, Vrme, Brta, Skalva, Sudva, Galinda and Kulma. German Names from Rottweil, Baden-Wrttemberg, 1441, by Aryanhwy merch Catmael Names of 1350 men and women, with a partial list of surnames. 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. Some of the children born to the couple may have used his surname, while others in the same family used the wife's family name. For example, Hansel and Gretel for Johan and Margret. . Three suffixes which often indicate a German occupational name are: -er (one who), commonly found in names such as Fischer, one who fishes; -hauer (hewer or cutter), used in names such as Baumhauer, tree chopper; and -macher (one who makes), found in names like Schumacher, one who makes shoes. Even after 1871, Germany's land area and political influence shifted several times. Preu (Preuss) Sachse Others were based on place names: Hans from Nrnberg might be called Hans Nrnberger. 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. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company. This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 15:19. (see below). Like a window into their day-to-day life, Prussian census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more. It wasnt until the Middle Ages (in approximately the 12th century) that family names came into common use. Bsch 1 German. 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. They include Schneider (tailor), Fischer (fisherman) and Weber (weaver). The Family History Library has large volumes of microfilm containing births, marriages and deaths from historical Prussia. Bauer, Ingrid. 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). There are 18 military records available for the last name Prussian. Pommerscher Verein groups were formed by descendants of emigrants from the Prussian province of Pomerania. If major changes occur in the naming patterns or form used, that could indicate a ministerial change, perhaps one coming from another area. ThoughtCo. Karamazov If this surname looks familiar, it's likely because of Fyodor Dostoevsk y's infamous novel, The Brothers Karamazov. Check these six sources for the name of your German immigrant ancestors home village. Click. German Last Names and Their Meanings There are 51 immigration records available for the last name Prussian. Within that name held two syllables which both held distinct meanings. For example, Weber Ernst Friederich Zentner is a man named Ernst Friederich Zentner who is a weaver. 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. Alber (name) Albin (surname) Albrecht; Albrich; Alemann; Allerstorfer; Allmayer; Allram; Alms (disambiguation) Alpenheim; Alscher; Alt (surname) Alterman; Altermann; Altmaier (surname) Altmann (surname) The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. Where variations of a spelling of a surname occurred, those monikers are listed as separate names. The acronyms are noted because you won't find the translations for these names in standard online translators or even most German dictionaries. 1938. This is a patronymic name derived from the reduced form of the name 'Abraham' that means 'father of a multitude.'. This is especially true for Westfalen (Westphalia) and Hannover and parts of Rheinland and Schlesien (Silesia). Until then, it was made up of smaller nation-states whose borders frequently changed. Its thought that this system dates back to the time of Charlemagne. The territory was included within Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia from 1939-45. In January 1871 Germany became a unified country. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. It was ethnically cleansed of Germans by Poland, the Soviet Union and the allies after World War 2.
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