| ![Show Contents]() Widmann History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany The ancient German region of the Rhineland was the original home of the name Widmann. Widmann was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, often attaching the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from", in some cases as a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common style of German hereditary surname. Widmann was a name for someone who lived in the area that was referred to as widem which was originally derived from the German word denoting church property. Thus the estates or farms lived in by the original bearers of the surname were owned by the church. In early times the Church was the largest landowner in Europe. Many farmers and peasants alike lived on land that was considered church property. Early Origins of the Widmann familyThe surname Widmann was first found in the Palatinate in the Rhineland valley, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and many leaders sought their support in their search for power. Early History of the Widmann familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Widmann research. Another 316 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1601, 1638, 1639, 1642, 1646, 1667, 1675, 1687, 1712, 1719, 1724, 1730 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Widmann History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Widmann Spelling VariationsOne 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 Widmann include Widmann, Widman, Widemann, Wideman, Witmann, Witman, Wittmann, Wittman, Whitman and many more. Early Notables of the Widmann familyNotables with the name Widmann during this period were - Christoph Widmann (Widemann), of the most prominent Carinthian line of the family, who was made a Cardinal in Rome in 1687
 Widmann migration to the United States | + |
Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Widmann, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:
Widmann Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Johannes Widmann, who settled in Philadelphia in 1743 along with Franz Carl in 1772
- Johannes Widmann, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 1
- Michael Widmann, who settled in Philadelphia in 1748
Widmann Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Johann Widmann, who settled in New York State in 1874 at the age of 19
| Contemporary Notables of the name Widmann (post 1700) | + |
- Joseph Victor Widmann (1842-1911), Moravian poet, novelist and critic working in Switzerland
- 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)
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Widmann migration to the United States 
