It was thus that surnames were born. Last names were clear identifiers of who someone was, where they came from, or what tasks they could accomplish. Many popular German surnames were originally occupational last names. Another early naming convention for last names was based on physical appearances and personalities.
These are usually some of the oldest names found in Germany, stemming from pre-Christian times. German surnames like Lang the long , Braun the brown or Gross the big tell us about the physical appearance of the first to bear our last names.
Meanwhile, such last names as Wolf wolf-like and Hertz big-hearted describe personality traits that made such a lasting impression that some families carry them to this day. For example, the famed von Trapp family singers, or the tragic political figure of Paul von Hindenburg.
It should be noted that most German American last names that include von may likely only include it as a later addition. The majority of landed gentry and Germanic nobility did not emigrate from Germany to the United States due to the lack of a necessity to do so.
In many other cultures, we find there is a much higher density of patronymic and geographical last names, but the propensity of occupational German surnames tells us something different about our Deutsch ancestors themselves: they valued their work above all else.
What a person did was as, or more, important than where they came from or who their father was. It is interesting to note that many of our German ancestors who arrived at Ellis Island during the late s and early s became the Smiths, Bakers, Millers, and Tailors we know today.
This is due to both the American immigration officials and the immigrants themselves choosing to use the English translation of the German surnames, to ensure societal acceptance and facilitate rapid cultural assimilation. Learning more about the roots of our German ancestors, who they were and what they did, can help you better understand your family history from family traditions to beliefs. Tracing the roots of your last name is just the start. Learn more about your German ancestry and uncover new facts and stories shared in German American newspapers.
Search your name and watch your German family history come to life! This is a fascinating and very helpful article. I come from Kirchers churchmen , Meyers as you explain above , Buhlmanns men of the hills?
Thank you for the encouragement and avenues to do so. Thanks for your comment about Ellis Island, Cathy. Others have pointed this out also, and we have edited our article. Good luck with your further research! I had wondered as a child what our last name came from. Her father, Henry O. Fox, had eventually settled in Michigan also. I had always been so proud of my ancestry and still am as toward the general population of Germany, however, do have problems thinking of WWII and the many atrocities done there to so many of their own people who happened to have a different religion than what was considered the norm.
Their 1st child died at birth and the 5 eventually later kids of which I am the last born, settled in Keego Harbor, Michigan. Hi LoisAnn, Just read your entry. Zurbrigg is probably the common spelling of our name in Canada…Zurbrugg and Zurbruegg most commonly in the US. Zurbrick and Zurbruck also found a lot. Very informative. I enjoyed reading the article and some history about the German surnames. I have Meyer, Merkle, and Lang that I know of.
They all immigrated to the U. They had a paternal uncle who had lived in southern Indiana for many years. For years I only knew they came from Wuerttemberg. When they left Germany, they left their father, step-mother and sister. By luck my godmother she got me started in genealogy looked at some records from Oschingen and there they were.
The biggest surprise was the name was spelt exactly the same. I was so surprised it had not been changed when they including their uncle arrived at Castle Garden.
Did the producers just reuse the Von Trapp children from last year and hope that no one would notice? David Lowery of Camper von Beethoven and Cracker made this case in a viral post from The other was the spirited portrait of Baron von Friedericks, a happy combination of cavalier and soldier in its manly strength. The von Fleischl has long been the standard instrument, but has lately fallen into some disfavor. For accurate work the best instruments are the von Fleischl-Miescher and the Dare.
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Freebase 0. Suggested Resources 0. How to pronounce VON? Alex US English. David US English. Mark US English. Daniel British. Libby British. Mia British. Karen Australian. Hayley Australian. Natasha Australian. Veena Indian. Priya Indian. Neerja Indian. Zira US English. Oliver British.
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