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Zimmerman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Zimmerman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Israel

Prussia, Germany is the ancestral home of the Zimmerman family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Zimmerman is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a in Prussia. The name Zimmer means "room" or "chamber" while the derivative Zimmerman and its many variations are occupational names meaning carpenter, literally "room man."

Early Origins of the Zimmerman family

The surname Zimmerman was first found in Prussia, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches in Germany and abroad, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Chronicles first mention the knight Hans von Zimmern, who signed his name Hans Zimmerlin, of Wuerttemberg around 1414.

Early History of the Zimmerman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zimmerman research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1644, 1672, 1685, 1693, 1730, 1766, 1778, 1811 and 1812 are included under the topic Early Zimmerman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zimmerman Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Zimmerman include Zimmer, Zimmerle, Zimmerer, Zimmermann, Zimmerman, Zimerman, Timmer (northern Germany), Timmermann, Timmerman and many more.

Early Notables of the Zimmerman family

Notable figures of the time with the name Zimmerman were

Johann Jacob Zimmermann (1644-1693), a German nonconformist theologian, Millenarian, mathematician, and astronomer

Zimmerman Ranking

In the United States, the name Zimmerman is the 441^st most popular surname with an estimated 64,662 people with that name. 1

Zimmerman migration to the United States +

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 Zimmerman were

Zimmerman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Jacob Zimmerman, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710-1714 2
Abraham Zimmerman, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1719 2
Andreas Zimmerman, who arrived in Montgomery, Pennsylvania in 1727 2
Michael Zimmerman, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1727 2
Nicol Zimmerman, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Zimmerman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Margaretha Zimmerman, aged 18, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
G Godlob Zimmerman, aged 23, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 2
Mari Zimmerman, aged 62, who arrived in America in 1835 2
Louis Zimmerman, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 2
David Zimmerman, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Zimmerman Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Adam Zimmerman, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1901 2
Carolina Zimmerman, aged 25, who arrived in New York, NY in 1901 2
Alfred Zimmerman, who landed in Arkansas in 1904 2
Frank Zimmerman, who arrived in Arkansas in 1904 2
Mike Zimmerman, who arrived in Arkansas in 1904 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Zimmerman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Zimmerman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Private. Friedrich Wilhelm Zimmerman U.E. who died in 1779 before settling in Canada c. 1779 he served in the South Carolina Royalists Regiment, died in the Siege of Savannah 3
Mr. Mattias Zimmerman U.E., (Matthias) who settled in Canada c. 1784 3

Zimmerman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Zimmerman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Carl Zimmerman, aged 47, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884
Louise Zimmerman, aged 52, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884
Wilhelmina Zimmerman, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884
Karl Zimmerman, aged 23, a groom, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884
August Zimmerman, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Zimmerman (post 1700) +

Don Zimmerman (1949-2020), American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League in the 1970s
Thomas Cadwallader Zimmerman (1838-1914), American Pennsylvania German writer and translator
Henry LeRoy Zimmerman Jr. (1918-1997), American NFL football player
John Luther Zimmerman IV (b. 1973), American professional pair skater, three-time U.S. national champion
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (b. 1984), American Major League Baseball third baseman
Fred R. Zimmerman (1880-1954), Wisconsin politician
Ethel Zimmerman (1908-1984), birth name of Ethel Merman, American actress and singer for musical theatre, well known for her powerful voice, often dubbed the "The Grande Dame of the Broadway stage"
Arnold Zimmerman (b. 1954), American ceramic artist
A A. "Zimmy" Zimmerman (1869-1936), American bicycle racer
Robert Allen Zimmerman (b. 1941), birth name of Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter who has received numerous awards including Grammy, Golden Globe, Academy Award and in 2008 became a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation recipient
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Zimmerman family +

Triangle Waist Company

Miss Sophie Zimmerman (b. 1892), American worker who was at Triangle Waist Company factory at the Asch building in Greenwich Village on the 25th March 1911 when fire broke out; she survived the fire 4

USS Arizona

Mr. Fred Zimmerman, American Coxswain from North Dakota, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 5
Mr. McDonald Zimmerman, Lloyd American Seaman Second Class from Missouri, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 5

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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (retrieved on 3rd August 2021.) Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html