Zillmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Zillmer family. The Zillmer surname evolved as a local name for a family that lived in the place named Zell. This place-name can be found in several areas in Germany, but the most well known town of this name is in the region of Freiburg, which is in the Schwarzwald, or the Black Forest, just north of the Swiss border. The place-name has appeared in several countries where the Germanic people had influence.

Early Origins of the Zillmer family

The surname Zillmer was first found in Bavaria, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking supremacy in constantly changing power relations. Chronicles first mention Ulrich Zeller of Esslingen in 1282 and Dietrich Czelleman of Muehlhausen in Saxony in 1393. The name originates in the Latin word "cella," which was taken into mediaeval German in the word "Klosterzelle."

Early History of the Zillmer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zillmer research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1462, 1477, 1497, 1503, 1548, 1560, 1562, 1630, 1683 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Zillmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zillmer 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 Zillmer include Zeller, Zellers, Zell, Zelle, Zella, Zellmer, Zelleman, Zellaman, Zellemann, Zellner, Zelmer, Zelman, Zelkmann, Zellman, Zelner, Zellerman and many more.

Early Notables of the Zillmer family

Prominent among members of the name Zillmer in this period include Matthäus (Matias) Zell (1477-1548), a Lutheran theologian and reformer based in Strasbourg; and his wife Katharina Zell, née Schütz (1497-1562), a German Protestant writer during the Reformation; Ulrich Zell...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Zillmer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zillmer migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Zillmer or a variant listed above:

Zillmer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Louis Zillmer, aged 28, who arrived in America from Copenhagen, in 1903
Elisabeth Zillmer, aged 30, who arrived in America from Halensee, Germany, in 1910
Otto Zillmer, aged 31, who arrived in America, in 1922
Anna Zillmer, aged 15, who arrived in America from Domgarten, Germany, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Zillmer (post 1700) +

Eric Zillmer PsyD, American Professor of Neuropsychology; Director of Athletics at Drexel University
Hans-Joachim Zillmer (b. 1950), German entrepreneur and author