Once you have some more direction about your ancestors province, consult resources created by individual societies and genealogy groups about Prussians who came from a particular region. Saxony 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. For example: Althaus ("old house") Birnbaum ("pear tree") 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. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/german-last-names-1444607. Find your Dutch last name and learn about name meanings and origins in the Netherlands. If you are researching ancestors (family) it is possible that your family records are referring to this area. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names. Many people there had German ancestors who emigrated from Saltzburg and a variety of other German cities and states. Karamazov If this surname looks familiar, it's likely because of Fyodor Dostoevsk y's infamous novel, The Brothers Karamazov. 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. Church archives themselves are digitizing records from their congregations. Adelebsen (German noble family) Ahlefeldt (noble family) Albertine branch. House of Alvensleben. This writer is a part of the FamilyEducation editorial team. 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 Voivodeship of Poland, the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and the southern Region of Lithuania. Pommerscher Verein groups were formed by descendants of emigrants from the Prussian province of Pomerania. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. These were then passed down through each generation. 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. 100% of Prussian men worked as a Laborer. 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). Most military records, for example, were unfortunately destroyed in WWII bombing (though documents from independent Hanover have survived). The online version of MeyersGaz includes the original gazetteers detailed information on each town, then supplements it with interactive modern-day and historical map overlays. This page has been viewed 166,064 times (14,599 via redirect). Germans may also use "-el" as a diminutive ending. Although it is not obvious today, Prussia was once one of the worlds great powers. 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. Merrow. These decrees were passed in 1771, 1820, and 1822 in the province of Schleswig-Holstein and in 1811 in Ostfriesland. 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. If Hans had a son Jens, the son was known as Jens Hansen (son of Hans). Names that were comprised of syllables with the . Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Site Search. Braband German. 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. Most German surnames derive either from archaic professions (such as Schmidt, Mller, Weber, or Schfer) or places. Contact. 24), and Schmid (No. . The meanings of German last names are those as defined initially when these names became surnames. ThoughtCo. In the table, the German name is listed on the left, with its origin (and explanation if needed) on the right. Standesamt I in Berlin holds duplicate copies of civil registries in eastern Prussian territories now in Poland or Russia. Abram. 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. 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. Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940. Prussia shaped the history of Germany, with its capital in Berlin after 1451. In 1790, Baden was the first German state to require fixed surnames. The following online source contains given names translated into 23 different European languages, including English: Many given names have variants and dialectical forms. View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Prussian. But with the right attitude, dedication, and tools, you can find your ancestors who lived within the limits of the former kingdom. Other record groups havent survived the regions tumultuous 20th century. Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning. This is an Ashkenazi Jewish last name of German or Old English origins with the meaning 'plowed field.'. In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Prussian. However, an attitude adjustment will help you solve your Prussia problems. During the early 20th Century, especially the World War I era, surname changes are recorded more frequently, as immigrants or, more often, their children, tried to adopt more neutral surnames. Subjects were often reluctant to comply, so several decrees were needed. Sign up for the Family Tree Newsletter Plus, you'll receive our 10 Essential Genealogy Research Forms PDF as a special thank you! The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. German Names from Rottweil, Baden-Wrttemberg, 1441, by Aryanhwy merch Catmael Names of 1350 men and women, with a partial list of surnames. Perhaps the name is misspelled in a record or has multiple names. These describe the rank or trade of the original surname recipient and are the second most common group. all rights reserved. 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. This was 100% of all the recorded Prussian's in USA. Nicole Marie Skutelnik and Nicole Marie LaCroce met in 2021 and were . What are the most popular Dutch surnames? (2023, April 5). Acker. (see below). For example, your great-grandfather's name could be in Latin on his birth record, in French on his marriage record, and in German on his death record. Prior to 1900, formal surname changes documented in local court records are relatively rare. This list may not reflect recent changes. Different branches of the same family may adopt various surname spellings. German last names originate from places and professions inGermany and far beyond, as a list of 100 of the most common German surnames shows. Check these six sources for the name of your German immigrant ancestors home village. Some of these collections are also on Ancestry.com and MyHeritage, since the two companies helped fund some of FamilySearchs digitization projects. 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. 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 January 1871 Germany became a unified country. ManyRoads' work and material is licensed under a: Gender and grammar can affect German surname endings. 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. 1854. 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. Trace your ancestry in Prussia, Bavaria and more with our guide to research in Germanys historical regions, What is Prussia? Before record keeping began, most people had only one name, such as John. Part of a German's first name(s) could come from. Archion.de and Matricula have growing browsable databases of Protestant and Catholic records, respectively. 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. Bsch 1 German. For the veterans among your Prussian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. Rostova Leo Tolstoy 's War and Peace. Many people there had German ancestors who emigrated from Saltzburg and a variety of other German cities and states. There are 18 military records available for the last name Prussian. 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. This guide goes through the best Prussian genealogy records that may help you pinpoint your ancestors origins. 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. 4. 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). This is taken from the Hebrew name 'hevel' meaning 'breath,' 'vanity' or 'vapor.'. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company. Agnet f German (East Prussian), North Frisian (Archaic), East Frisian (Archaic) East Prussian German, North Frisian and East Frisian variant of Agnes via the variant Agnete. A couple who have identical first and middle names chose to have different surnames when they got married to avoid confusion. More about Hofnamen can be studied here. This list is different than one showingpopular German surnameswith their English translations. From 1772-1829 and 1878-1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. 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. She has a teaching degree and an M.A. Examples: Feuerstein= Firestone, Schwarzenbach (er) = Blackcreek [which evolved into "Blackrick" and other phonetic spellings], or simply "Black". They include Schneider (tailor), Fischer (fisherman) and Weber (weaver). Ammendorf family. For example, Hans Petersen was a son of a man named Peter. In many areas of Germany there is a widespread use of "Hofnamen" or "farm names" used. The most Prussian families were found in USA in 1920. 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 Fortunately, many US censuses inquired about the respondents place of birth, making them a possible source for your ancestors Prussian origins. The acronyms OHG and MHG stand for Old High German and Middle High German, respectively. is only allowed with prior ManyRoads' approval, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Deutsche Vertriebenen German Expulsions (History), Flucht und Verteibung Flight & Expulsion (Videos), Dictionnaire Genealogique des Familles Canadiennes- Cyprien Tanguay, Preuen in der Vergangenheit Prussia in the Past (Videos), Robidou Association of North America (Rescue), Genealogy Databases and Immigrant Websites, Immigration from Germany to Eastern Europe (Ostsiedlung), On-line Prussian, Ukrainian, Russian Mennonite Records, 400+ Years of Mennonite-Anabaptist European Emigration, Researching Mennonite Regions of Damals Preuen (former Prussia), Locating German WW1 & WW2 War Casualties & Prisoners, Researching the Eastern European German Diaspora, Jdische Familienforschung (Jewish Genealogy), [] Population Development across Eastern Prussia, To do so, please follow these instructions, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Ackermann. Here are some of my thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in northeast East Prussia (Ostpreussen) and Memel. Many things are said to be a state of mind. For genealogists seeking 19th- and early 20th-century ancestry in what was then the largest German Empire state of Prussia, Prussian is a kind of a state of mind. 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. When researching/reading genealogical records, this is most often the group/ nation to whom your family members are claiming an allegiance or an affiliation. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Count of Family Names in the 1776 Census Count of Family Names in the 1776 Census Compiled by Glenn Penner (gpenner@uoguelph.ca) The following table is a count of how many times each family name, or variation of that name, appears in the 1776 census of Mennonites in West Prussia. For each Germanic surname in this glossary, we have provided the English meaning, which may or may not be a surname in English. Find your German last name and learn about the meaning and origins of different German surnames. A small collection of women's given names from Arnsburg, in Hessen. Within that name held two syllables which both held distinct meanings. Some areas of Germany may use diminutive forms of names more than others. Seafarer. *We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs. 100 Russian Last Names 1. Most German surnames derive either from archaic professions (such as Schmidt, Mller, Weber, or Schfer) or places. To view this content, you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. 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. Rudat German (East Prussian) Variant of Rudatis. Rudatis German (East Prussian) The territory was included within Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia from 1939-45. Spelling of German surnames often changed to reflect. Many of these professions no longer exist but survive in naming traditions. Get in touch! 26). Ancestry.com has a collection of these records: Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 18741945.. Some records preface names with occupations, and the occupation may erroneously be indexed as a given name. 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. Use of the ending may result in vowel changes, such as "Hnschen", which is "little Hans". Ambly des Ayvelles. 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). 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. It is being seen as mocking India as the country overtakes China to become the world's most populous nation. With this list of German last names, discover the origin of your surname and how your ancestors made it come to life. Preuen issued an edict on 11 March 1812 that required that permanent family names be adopted within six months. In November 1918, the monarchies were abolished and the nobility lost its political power. Listen to this articles For example, Weber Ernst Friederich Zentner is a man named Ernst Friederich Zentner who is a weaver. Teutonic Knights and their descendants, the Baltic Germans, prospered for 700 years in north eastern Europe. Patronymic names changed with each generation. 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. 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. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations. Many Indians have tweeted, saying that that the . Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prussian surname lived. Most Popular German Last Names on Family Education: Abbas, Altergott, Adler. For example, the surname Meyer means dairy farmer today, whereas, during the Middle Ages, Meyer designated people who were stewards of landholders. Derived from a diminutive of the given name Sebastian. Ill walk you through three steps to tracing your Prussian ancestors. 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. Where is Pomerania? (Kevan Hansens Map Guide to German Parish Registers series, found in many libraries that have German collections, can also give this information.). You have Prussian ancestry, but cant find Prussia on modern maps. Click. Several books are available that list variant forms of given names. Aachen (German nobility) House of Absberg. Both contain valuable information about origins; make sure you look for both document types. German Names from 1495, by Aryanhwy merch Catmael About a hundred masculine and feminine given names collected from an Be aware that as people moved, this might change their surname, and it may revert back and forth within the same records. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. Why so many people consider themselves German, even though their ancestors lived in other countries, sometimes for hundreds of years. German Eaglessingle head 640 years, double-headed 366 years, then single head ever since 1871. 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. Dive into this disappearing state with this overview of Prussian history. The profile for each town name includes both German- and Polish-language place names, as well as what districts and parishes the villages belonged to. The acronyms are noted because you won't find the translations for these names in standard online translators or even most German dictionaries. 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. 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. 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. In 1880 there was 1 Prussian family living in Minnesota. 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 endings -s or -es show possession. 3. Occupational Names [edit | edit source]. Hans dictus Krier (Hans who is called a soldier.). Trade Surnames [edit | edit source]. View Census Data for Prussian | Data not to scale. the "eit" at the end of their Surnames. The following 110 pages are in this category, out of 110 total. 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). Men often take on the wife's surname if moving onto her property. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found. List of Bavarian noble families. Do not sell or share my personal information. Meanings and Origins of Common Last Names. 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). It was ethnically cleansed of Germans by Poland, the Soviet Union and the allies after World War 2. (For more see Wikipedia). Before the 1800s, the use of a surname by Jews was left to the discretion of the individual. This topic comes up frequently and seems to cause a lot of confusion, especially here in the US. 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.. Its thought that this system dates back to the time of Charlemagne. Episode 02- March 2019 So you think your ancestor was Prussian.pdf. How Continue reading My thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in EastPrussia. 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. 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. 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 Bauer, Ingrid. Bauer, Ingrid. 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. Bauer, Ingrid. 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. 1938. Should you wish to learn more about Prussia and its history, ManyRoads offers extensive texts as well as maps on Historical Germany and Europe. (For more see Wikipedia). Find a Grave has become the leading site showing memorial information, but there are still many offline sources such as marker transcripts in county historical and genealogical libraries. Where variations of a spelling of a surname occurred, those monikers are listed as separate names. 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. In 1871, German states united in creating the German Empire under Prussian leadership. ThoughtCo, Apr. As the population increased, it became necessary to distinguish between individuals with the same name. 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). Naturalization documents are especially important if your ancestor became a citizen (which you can determine by examining federal censuses). (Hans itself is a familiar variant of Johan.). But many of these families had a common denominator. At first surnames applied only to one person, not to the whole family. Home. 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. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Prussia was effectively abolished in 1932, and officially abolished in 1947.
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