Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Mller. Leave a message for others who see this profile. Although most German counts belonged officially to the lower nobility, those who were m In this, the German language practice differs from Dutch in the Netherlands, where the particle van is usually capitalised when mentioned without preceding given names or initials, or from Dutch in Belgium, where the name particle Van is always capitalised. In Germany, all legal privileges of the nobility have been officially abolished since August 1919, and Graf, like any other hereditary title, is treated as part of the legal surname. German Family Names [9] The two were occasionally combined into von und zu (meaning "of and at"). Members of the noble class seldom left their country or disowned their children. In a similar way, the prefix Zu in a German surname can also be an indication of nobility. Landowners modernized their estates, and oriented their business to an international market. WebSimilar surnames: Doble, Coble, Nolle, Noblet, Nobbe, Noe, Molle, Roble, Sole, Hole 2 million record (s) for Noble 617K Birth, Marriage, and Deaths 64K Military Records 51K Immigration Records 464K Census and Voter Lists 1M Member Trees Search for a relative to learn more about your family history. The word Graf derives from Middle High German: grave, which is usually derived from Latin: graphio. [6], All other former titles and nobiliary particles are now inherited as part of the surname, and remain protected as private names under the laws. Originated as a name for the steward of a large farm. Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F026160-0002A / Grfingholt, Detlef / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons. They bore the title "margrave" until the few who survived as sovereigns assumed higher titles when the Empire was abolished in 1806. Speaking with a financial advisor could help. Gordon is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Scottish surname Gordon. It is uncertain if this surname originated from a place name in Scotland or in France. 1 - BSB Cgm 1508, S.l. If learning about the background to these German names and their titles has piqued your interest about acquiring a prestigious Noble Title of your own get in touch using the enquiry form in the sidebar or you can contact our Geneva office directly between 10.00-19.00, Monday to Friday on +41 225 181 360. [3] In Austria, its use is banned by law, as with all hereditary titles and nobiliary particles. The Muhlenberg family created a United States political, religious, and military dynasty based in the state of Pennsylvania. The German American family descends from Heinrich Melchior Mhlenberg / Henry Muhlenberg (17111787), a German immigrant, noted Lutheran minister, and founder of the Lutheran Church in America. German nobility was frequently associated with the military (officers) and a mobile lifestyle. This List of Bavarian noble families contains all 338 Bavarian aristocratic The inflation of fake nobility is one of the major concerns of the Adelsrechtsausschuss, and it is up to the commission to determine whether a person should be considered noble or non-noble. Limit 20 per day. This means that nobility is inherited only in the legitimate male line, and wives of noblemen partake in their husbands' nobility for the duration of marriage and widowhood. Over the years we would have gathered many more, as well as spelling variations to these. The former ruling houses of these states were still considered Hochadel under laws adopted by the German Empire. Historically, German entities that recognized or conferred nobility included the Holy Roman Empire (9621806), the German Confederation (18141866) and the German Empire (18711918). This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 15:19. During the unification of Germany, mainly from 1866 to 1871, the states of Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Hohenzollern-Hechingen, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (in 1850), Schleswig-Holstein and Nassau were absorbed into Prussia. Article 109 of the Weimar Constitution constitutes: Learn how and when to remove this template message, WorldStatesmen: see every modern state; here Germany/Holy Roman Empire, "Evolution of the Council of Princes from 1582 to 1803", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Graf&oldid=1137724259, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Middle High German (ca. Allen Allen is a boy name having Gaelic origins. The compiled sources for German nobility include both published and manuscript genealogies. 50 Middle Names for Boys Youre Sure to Love - PureWow Persons who bear a noble or noble-sounding surname without belonging to the historical nobility according to Salic law are classified as Nichtadelige Namenstrger, or "non-noble name-carriers". Mitzis real name and full title is Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber. In Germany, nobility and titles pertaining to it were recognised or bestowed upon individuals by emperors, kings and lesser ruling royalty, and were then inherited by the legitimate, male-line descendants of the ennobled person. 12.Godfrey (German Origin) among the noble surnames beginning with G which means 'God's peace'. Fax Number: +41 225 181 369 Title 9, 1 of the General State Laws for the Prussian States declared that the nobility's responsibility "as the first social class in the state" was "the defence of the country, as well as the supporting of the exterior dignity and the interior constitution thereof". Apply this search to the user-submitted names, 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, the "relationship" is how the name relates to its parent name. A periodical regarding German Nobility which is available at the FamilySearch Library is Deutsches Adelsblatt. One reason many German surnames feature the Von or Zu prefixes is that the right to include them in a surname was one of the few remaining aristocratic privileges allowed when the nobility was abolished in Germany in 1919. Whether Mitzi preferred to play down any noble lineage during the politically fractious period of the mid-20th century, or she simply adopted a more Americanised name to appease Hollywood filmmakers, she opted to be known by a name that didnt reflect or reveal the Von aspect of her surname. Caddel - Welsh origin. [16] The term Uradel was not without controversy, and the concept was seen by some[who?] Categories: Germany Genealogy Resources | German Nobility | European Nobility | Royalty, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Category:German noble families - Wikipedia Members of this class had titles such as Baron [Freiherr], Duke [Herzog], Count [Graf], Originally, coats-of-arms were granted to individuals, not families. Cecil, Lamar. is used to reflect where a person is from similar to, Throughout the evolution of the European aristocracy in the Middle Ages, these prefixes have related to a land-holding or estate that belonged to a noble family, or a region that was inherent in a noble title. An armorial is a collection of descriptions of coats-of-arms and the families that bear them. Any dynast who did not reign prior to 1918 but had held a specific title as heir to one of Germany's former thrones (e.g., Erbprinz ("hereditary prince"))along with any heir to a title of nobility inherited via primogeniture, and their wiveswere permitted to incorporate those titles into elements of the personal surname. Otto Graf Lambsdorff). Bakker947, Welcome to the List of German Nobility and Aristocracy Page, Last Grand Dukes, Dukes and Princes - 1918, French_Revolutionary_Wars_Timeline_-_1792, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duke Friedrich August II of Oldenburg, Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernest of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Duke Charles Edward of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Gnther Victor of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_monarchs_in_1918. These quasi-sovereign families comprised mostly princely and comital families, but included a few dukes also of Belgian and Dutch origin (Arenberg, Cro, Looz-Corswarem). Meaning "noble." Happy to share but I find WikiTree difficult. The nobility is divided into two sections: Hochadel and Niederadel (high and low nobility). In some regions of Germany where the nobility was less of an important feature of the emerging culture, some non-noble families adopted and used the prefixes of Von or Zu. Rich Last Names or Surnames With Meanings Violating these laws could result in temporary or permanent Adelsverlust ("loss of the status of nobility"). However, sometimes the right to bear a coat-of-arms was inherited by the descendants of the person to whom it was granted. [12] Nobiliary particles are not capitalised unless they begin a sentence, and then they are usually skipped,[13] unless this creates confusion. Noble families of Bavaria (86 C, 1 F) * Seals of German nobility (8 C, 34 F) Coats of arms of families of Germany (45 C, 160 F) Alberti Wappenbuch (4 C) Tyroff While nominally retaining only a comital title, he was accorded princely rank and, usually, arms by the Emperor. All of the 22 Monarchs below were forced to abdicate in November 1918: The local museum has a letter saying that local girls were forced to go to the palace to entertain the princes and visitors (mainly German Princes). Where no coat of arms is available, the file position from Siebmacher's 1605 Book of Coats of Arms is given as follows: page number of the coat of arms plate and position of the coat of arms on the plate (the page numbers of reprints are not used). $0.00+ Sweet and tart, with pineapple, mango, Login to post. While Von or Zu can often indicate a history of aristocracy, or at least be a clue to a link to a noble lineage, it is not always an accurate indicator of aristocratic status. The high nobility included This was often done using a prefix in front of the surname, and in Germany, the way to denote this practice was the use of a Von or Zu prefix. I have found the 'Royalty Project' on FamilyTreeDNA.com very useful. 1700, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Bavarian_noble_families&oldid=1145101738, Articles with dead external links from December 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Village of Behaim bei Moosburg, Abensberg, Freising, Called "zu Schonau" ("of Schonau"), seat at, Ambrosius Jung (senior), Ambrosius Jung (junior), Ulrich Jung, Kleeberg / Kleeburg / Cleebourg / Cleeberg, The family castle of the counts of Leonberg which was destroyed in the 16th century, stood in the present-day parish of, Adelgoz de Allaris, Heinrich von Salrer, Otto von Sallern, Dietrich von Sallern, Their origin was an old Austrian noble family with the name Tttenpeck, who came to Bavaria and initially had their seat in (Ober-Unter-)Tattenbach which since 1972 is in the parish of, The lords of Trenbach inherited the coat of arms of the, The Visler were from 1464 to 1634 owners of the Hofmark at, The Webers of Bavaria originated in Franconia, Friedrich Weber (d. 1739) huntsman to the bishop of. Last Names Moreno Genealogy & History. "von der" or von dem "vom" ("of the"), zu der "zur" or zu dem "zum" ("of the", "in the", "at the"). Germany follows Salic law, as most Continental European countries. Almond - Middle Eastern origins. The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 247 total. [3] an exceptional practice regarding surnames borne by former members of the nobility: whereas the gender differentiation in German surnames, widespread until the 18th century and colloquially retained in some dialects, was abolished in Germany with the introduction of officially registered invariable surnames by the late 19th century, former noble titles transformed into parts of the surname in 1919 continue to appear in female and male forms.[4]. However, the pre-1919 style sometimes continues in colloquial usage. In medieval times the borders of the Holy Roman Empire were especially vulnerable to foreign attack, so the hereditary count of these "marches" of the realm was sometimes granted greater authority than other vassals to ensure security. Many German states, however, required a marriage to a woman of elevated social status in order for a nobleman to pass on his titles and privileges to his children. The nobility system of the German Empire was similar to nobility in the Austrian Empire; both developed during the Holy Roman Empire and both ended in 1919 when they were abolished, and legal status and privileges were revoked. Most were untitled, only making use of the particle von in their surnames. A family whose nobility dates back to at least the 14th century may be called Uradel, or Alter Adel ("ancient nobility",[15] or "old nobility"). Untamed and wild is the meaning of this hip name, which has German roots and a long history as a surname that dates back to the 10th century. Means "battle ax." as an arbitrary distinction invented by the Kingdom of Prussia. WebA famous bearer of this surname was the German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897). Means "mighty like a bear." It contains information about name variants, ancestry, extent and well-known personalities of the line. However, in Polish, a wealthy or prominent female relative often passed down her name. The laws and practices of heraldry have changed over the years. These unusually named countships were equivalent in rank to other Counts of the Empire who were of Hochadel status, being entitled to a shared seat and vote in the Imperial Diet and possessing Imperial immediacy, most of which would be mediatised upon dissolution of the Empire in 1806.[5]. Nobiliary particle Bell (French origin) means "beautiful or fair". WebGraf (feminine: Grfin) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count".Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title of "earl" (whose female version is "countess").. Brando - German origin. 50 German Last Names. Today, German nobility is no longer conferred by the Federal Republic of Germany (1949present), and constitutionally the descendants of German noble families do not enjoy legal privileges. Brand 1 German, English Derived from the Old German given name Brando or its ", Hurwich, Judith J. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. WebGraf (feminine: Grfin) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count".Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as and there were a lot of family stories about goings on at Windsor Palace (Castle). Bamann, Bassmann, Bassermann ( Basserman / Baserman ), von Bassermann-Jordan (a nobility) Bauch Baudissin (from Bautzen) Baudler Bauer Bauerle Perhaps you could use Von with your current surname, or as a prefix for the place you were born, or indeed anywhere you like (subject to the legal requirements in your country.). I have most of these German nobility in my ancestry but not on WikiTree because I can't manage how to go that far back. In special cases, for example when a family is about to die out or when a daughter inherits the family estate and marries a commoner, the Adelsrechtsausschuss can grant a dispensation from Salic law, allowing for a one-time transfer of a noble surname contrary to nobiliary law, to a person considered non-noble. After the abolishment of the nobility in 1919 - either becoming part of the surname proper (Germany) or being dropped (Austria). 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. FS Library Collection. A Landgraf or Landgrave was a nobleman of comital rank in feudal Germany whose jurisdiction stretched over a territory larger than usually held by a count within the Holy Roman Empire. Higher-ranking noble families of the Niederer Adel bore such hereditary titles as Ritter (knight), Freiherr (or baron) and Graf. German Surnames - Behind the Name Last Names The status of a landgrave was elevated, usually being associated with suzerains who were subject to the Holy Roman Emperor but exercised sovereign authority within their lands and independence greater than the prerogatives to which a simple Graf was entitled, but the title itself implied no specific, legal privileges. Related: 50 German Last Names and Surnames with Meanings. [4] A count who was not a Reichsgraf was likely to possess only a mesne fief (Afterlehen) he was subject to an immediate prince of the empire, such as a duke or prince elector. They are considered equal to nobles in all regards, and allowed to join nobility associations.[14]. Noble This is similar to the practice of shortening a noble title to merge with the surname that was a popular practice towards the latter days of the aristocracy. German nobility - Wikipedia German nobility, although not abolished (unlike the Austrian nobility by the new First Austrian Republic in 1919), lost recognition as a legal class in Germany under the Weimar Republic in 1919 under the Weimar Constitution, article 109. The vast majority of the German nobility, however, inherited no titles, and were usually distinguishable only by the nobiliary particle von in their surnames. For instance, members of the former royal families of Prussia and Bavaria were allowed use of Prinz/Prinzessin;[5] or Herzog/Herzogin. [4] Such titles were purely honorific. 16 Two Brothers Astro Fizz. Most Common Surnames In Germany : #. Surname. 1. Mller. 2. Schmidt. 3. Schneider. There were also some German noble families, especially in Austria, Prussia and Bavaria, whose heads bore the titles of Frst (prince) or Herzog (duke); however, never having exercised a degree of sovereignty, they were accounted members of the lower nobility (e.g., Bismarck, Blcher, Putbus, Hanau, Henckel von Donnersmarck, Pless, Wrede). Today, Austrian nobility is no longer conferred by the Republic of Austria (1945present), and the public or official use of noble titles as title or part of the surname, is a minor offence under Austrian law for Austrian citizens. Means "castle defender." Each armorial differs from the others and includes different names. This page has been viewed 52,830 times (0 via redirect). Various authors have prepared armorial, or heraldry, books. Bardin - German origin. A gefrsteter Graf (English: princely count) is a Reichsgraf who was recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor as bearing the higher rank or exercising the more extensive authority of an Imperial prince (Reichsfrst). The German nobility (German: deutscher Adel) and royalty were status groups of the medieval society in Central Europe, which enjoyed certain privileges relative to other people under the laws and customs in the German-speaking area, until the beginning of the 20th century. Last Names [citation needed]. So, in terms of German surnames, the appearance of Von in a name can often indicate that the bearer is of noble origin. Adelsverlust only concerned the individual who had violated nobility codes of conduct. The title, translated as "count", was generally accepted and used in other countries by custom. Armani Members of this class had titles such as Baron [Freiherr], Duke [Herzog], Count [Graf], Margrave [Markgraf], and Knight (Sir) [Ritter]. I have it on MacFamilyTree. Traditional titles exclusively used for unmarried noblewomen, such as Baronesse, Freiin and Freifrulein, were also transformed into parts of the legal surname, subject to change at marriage or upon request. Many Continental counts in Germany and Austria were titled Graf without any additional qualification. One glamorous example of this practice is Mitzi Gaynor, the American actress popular in the 1950s who appeared in classic Hollywood films such as. (For a modern example, think of the Earl of Northumberland or the Duke of Cambridge.). Goldberg - Goldberg is a surname of German/Yiddish origin meaning "mountain of gold." Landgraf, Markgraf, Pfalzgraf (Count Palatine), Burggraf, Wildgraf, Waldgraf, Altgraf, Raugraf, etc. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Meibom cf.Heinrich Meibom, Marcus Meibom (danish composer), etc, Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Liste der hufigsten deutschen Familiennamen, http://www.saur.de/dbe/deutsch/page03.htm, https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Appendix:German_surnames&oldid=71753275, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Jeismann ( other variants - Jeijsman and Jeisman ) surname comes from Eisman/Eijsman = Eisenmann. 1050-1500)-language text, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles containing Old English (ca. Wilder. 3. This page was last edited on 5 April 2022, at 14:10. A list of German origin and Americanised family names. The title is now borne by the hereditary heirs to the deposed monarchs of Hesse (Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse and Wilhelm, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld), who lost their throne in 1918. Even after the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Reichsgrafen retained precedence above other counts in Germany. From the Middle Ages, a Graf usually ruled a territory known as a Grafschaft ('county'). All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. For additional resources, do a Place Search for Germany and view the selections under Germany - Nobility, as well as Germany - Genealogy, Germany - Biography, and Germany - Heraldry. Old Germanic Submitted Surnames - Behind the Name Enzo. Telephone: +41 225 181 360 WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Traditionally these names mean son of or little In Polish, these last names are often denoted by -czak, -czyk, -iak, -ik, -ak, -ek, or -yk. A comprehensive index of four published serials on German nobility is found on pages 187 to 349. The Hochadel also included the Empire's formerly quasi-sovereign families whose domains had been mediatised within the German Confederation by 1815, yet preserved the legal right to continue royal intermarriage with still-reigning dynasties (Ebenbrtigkeit). Which title do you prefer? Illegitimate children of nobility, though not entitled to noble status, were often recorded (although the father may not have been named) and can be found in the records. Until the late 19th century, for example, it was usually forbidden for nobles, theoretically on pain of Adelsverlust, to marry persons "of low birth". Moreno was a significant surname in medieval Christian kingdoms of Spain. 1. Other forms also exist as combinations with the definite article: e.g. WebSurnames beginning with A. A-01 Aaker to Alley. While many of the official privileges that German nobles had enjoyed for centuries were revoked, the right to include the Von or Zu prefix in the surname was one way that noble families could retain an air of their previous aristocratic rank, as well as bequeathing a noble name and lineage to future generations. Their kin, spouse, and living children were not affected, but children born to a man after an Adelsverlust were commoners and did not inherit the father's former nobility. Augustine, Dolores L. "Arriving in the upper class: the wealthy business elite of Wilhelmine Germany." Brother John's Beer, Bourbon & BBQ - 15 1912 Weiz the Hell Not See the Genealogy and Nobility sections. A Burggraf, or Burgrave, was a 12th- and 13th-century military and civil judicial governor of a castle (compare castellan, custos, keeper) of the town it dominated and of its immediate surrounding countryside. Ostlichter LTA Castell-Rudenhausen. Upon promulgation of the Weimar Constitution on 11 August 1919, all Germans were declared equal before the law. Levin - A derivative of the German name Liebwin. 42. get in touch using the enquiry form in the sidebar, contact our Geneva office directly between 10.00-19.00, Monday to Friday on, I consent to my data being stored in line with your, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F026160-0002A / Grfingholt, Detlef / CC-BY-SA 3.0. Graf - Wikipedia The nobility is a class of people who had special political and social status. Category:Noble families of Germany - Wikimedia Commons This contrasts with Briefadel ("patent nobility"): nobility granted by letters patent. We still see examples of this custom in modern times. Carnell - English origin. Stammbuch des blhenden und abgestorbenen Adels in Deutschland (Lineages of flourishing and extinct nobles in Germany). In Switzerland, the title is not acknowledged in law. Higher-ranking noble families of the Niederer Adel bore such hereditary titles as Ritter (knight), Freiherr (or baron) and Graf. This so-called "Non-Objection" (Nichtbeanstandung) results in the factual ennoblement of the recipient (even though the term is not applied), making Germany one of the few republics where it is still possible for non-nobles to join the ranks of the nobility even though there is no monarch who can ennoble anymore.