Show ContentsStrausser 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 Strausser. 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 in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Strausser family.

Early Origins of the Strausser family

The surname Strausser was first found in the Altmark region, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. One source suggests that the earliest origin of the name was in fact the Principality of Cologne; but other chronicles suggest the true origin to be the ancient province of Altmark, later the duchy of Brunswick. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made these territories landmark contributors to the building of the nation.

Early History of the Strausser family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Strausser research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1337, 1575, 1580, 1749, 1789, 1790, 1804, 1825, 1827, 1835, 1849, 1870, 1899 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Strausser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Strausser 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 Strausser include Strauss, Straus, Strous, Strouss, Strus, Struss, Straessle, Struessgen, Striuss, Strius and many more.

Early Notables of the Strausser family

Notable figures of the time with the name Strausser were Christoph Strauss (1575-1580), who was a prominent Austrian composer at the Hapsburg court. In the 19th century, the Strauss family formed a dynasty of musicians and composers. Johann (1804-1849), a violinist and band leader, began the families climb...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Strausser Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Strausser family

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Strausser were Albrecht Strauss, who came to Philadelphia in 1732. Nicholas Strous arrived in Philadelphia in 1738; while Jacob Struss landed there in 1841. Heinrich Strauss settled in Texas in 1852..


Contemporary Notables of the name Strausser (post 1700) +

  • Albert E. Strausser, American Republican politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Columbia County; Elected 1954 [1]
  • George Strausser Messersmith (1883-1960), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Cuba, 1940-42; Mexico, 1941-46; Argentina, 1946-47


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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