Show ContentsBarthels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Barthels surname comes from the Germanic personal name Bertwald, composed of the elements "berht," meaning "bright," and "wald," meaning "rule."

Early Origins of the Barthels family

The surname Barthels was first found in Bavaria, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. The name is associated with the famous Saint Bartholomaeus (St. Bartholomew,) who was one of the Apostles.

Early History of the Barthels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barthels research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1625, 1672, 1707, 1776, 1789, 1806, 1815 and 1831 are included under the topic Early Barthels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barthels Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Barthels include Barthels, Bartel, Bartels, Bartl, Bartelemaeus, Bartholomaus, Bartelme, Barthelme, Barthelmes and many more.

Early Notables of the Barthels family

Prominent among members of the name Barthels in this period include Johann and Peter Barthelme of Schweidnitz who were raised to nobility in 1585; and Melchior Barthel (1625-1672), a German sculptor from Dresden.Johann Christian Barthel, born at Plauen 1776, was a musician from a very early age, in 1789 and played at the house of Doles before Mozart, who praised him highly, and soon after entered...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barthels Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Barthels migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Barthels Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Andres Barthels and Justus Barthels both of whom arrived in Philadelphia in 1792
  • Andres Barthels, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1792 [1]
  • Justus Barthels, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1792 [1]
Barthels Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sophie Barthels, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1845 [1]
  • Miss Cath. Barthels, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Hercules"
  • August Barthels, who arrived in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Weser" [1]
  • Sophie Barthels, who settled in Texas in 1845
  • Mr. Hein. Barthels, (Bartels) aged 52, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Louise", with 4 children
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Barthels migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Barthels Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Barthels, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Beauty" in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Barthels (post 1700) +

  • Robert Barthels, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Ohio State House of Representatives from Cuyahoga County, 1897 [2]
  • Wolfgang Barthels (b. 1940), former German footballer


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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