Steck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The name Steck was first used by the people of the German province of Westphalia, which lay in the area between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Along with metronymic names, which come from the name of the mother of the bearer, patronymics were one of the most popular early German name types. Steck was derived from the popular medieval Germanic personal name Stecho. The name Steck is also of local origin that is derived from the Old Germanic word "steck," which referred to a parcel of land. The steck was a tract of pasture land.

Early Origins of the Steck family

The surname Steck was first found in Westphalia and the lower Rhine region, where the name Steck came from aristocratic beginnings and gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, holding the title of counts in Dortmund, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Steck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Steck research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1702 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Steck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Steck 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 Steck include Steck, Stech, Stechel, Stecher, Steckler, Steckel, Steckell, Steckle, Steckler, Stecker, Stecklen, Stek and many more.

Early Notables of the Steck family

Notables of the period with the name Steck were

members of the prominent von Steck branch of the family, who were raised into the nobility of the Holy Roman Empire in 1702 and 1776 in reward for their outstanding loyalty and accomplishments

Steck Ranking

In the United States, the name Steck is the 9,081^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Steck migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of 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 settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:

Steck Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mathias Steck, aged 37, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 2
Johann Georg, Steck Jr., who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 2
Friedrich Steck and his four children arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754
Friedrich Steck, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 2

Steck Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Natalie Steck, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
Josefine Steck, aged 26, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 2
Gottlieb Steck, who arrived in America in 1854 2
Heinrich Julius Steck, who landed in America in 1854 2
Edward Steck, who settled in Texas in 1861

Contemporary Notables of the name Steck (post 1700) +

Leo John Steck (1898-1950), American Roman Catholic prelate, Auxiliary Bishop of Salt Lake City (1948–1950)
Daniel Frederic Steck (1881-1950), American politician, United States Senator from Iowa (1926-1931)
Walter Steck, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly 61st District, 1966
Tom Steck, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 2004
John M. Steck, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1912, 1916
Henry S. Steck, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Ohio County, 1901-02
Fred Steck, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Missouri State Senate 27th District, 1964
Daniel Frederic Steck (1881-1950), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1924 (member, Committee on Rules and Order of Business), 1928; U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1926-31
Amos Steck, American Republican politician, Mayor of Denver, Colorado, 1863-64; Chief Justice of Colorado Territorial Supreme Court; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1880
Anton Steck (b. 1965), German violinist and conductor from Freudenstadt
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)