Bense History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Medieval Austria is the ancient homeland of the Bense family. Austria, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Bense family

The surname Bense was first found in Austria, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Bense family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bense research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1766 and 1839 are included under the topic Early Bense History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bense Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Bense include Benz, Benns, Bennze, Benze, Bennse, Bense, Bensz and others.

Early Notables of the Bense family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bense Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bense migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bense or a variant listed above:

Bense Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Eleanore Margarethe Clare Bense, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1846 1
J. C. Bense settled in San Francisco, California in 1852
Conrad Bense, aged 20, who arrived in America in 1876 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Bense (post 1700) +

Judith Ann Bense, American academic, Florida historical archaeologist, and a former president of the University of West Florida
Allan George Bense (b. 1951), American Republican politician, Golf course contractor; Member of Florida State House of Representatives 6th District, 1999-; Speaker of the Florida State House of Representatives, 2004 2
Max Bense (1910-1990), German philosopher, writer, and publicist, known for his work in philosophy of science, logic, aesthetics, and semiotics

Citations +

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html