Show ContentsBessire History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Bessire. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Bessire family.

Early Origins of the Bessire family

The surname Bessire was first found in Brandenburg, where this family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times.

Early History of the Bessire family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bessire research. Another 189 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1690, 1711 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Bessire History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bessire Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Bessire include Beser, Besser, Besserr, Bessere, Beserre, Bessers and many more.

Early Notables of the Bessire family

More information is included under the topic Early Bessire Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bessire migration to the United States +

Since medieval times, the state of Prussia has played an important part in the history of Germany. The state's military powers were historically very strong, and endured until after the Second World War, when the territory was broken up and divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. A spurt of migration followed, with some Prussians going elsewhere in Europe and many others crossing the ocean to North America. Most entered the United States through Philadelphia. Some remained there, while more moved on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others traveled to Canada and settled Ontario and the prairie provinces. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bessire or a variant listed above:

Bessire Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A A Bessire, who landed in Texas in 1850 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Bessire (post 1700) +

  • Major-General Jean-Pierre-Hector-Marie Bessire (1880-1955), French Acting General Officer Commanding Division Tunis [2]


  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. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 3) Jean-Pierre-Hector-Marie Bessire. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bessi%C3%A8re/Jean-Pierre-Hector-Marie/France.html


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