Show ContentsZolman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient roots of the Zolman family are found in the German state of Bavaria. Zolman was a local name, for someone who 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 Zolman family

The surname Zolman 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 Zolman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zolman 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 Zolman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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

Early Notables of the Zolman family

Prominent among members of the name Zolman 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 Zolman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Zolman family

German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Zolman surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Bacshe Zeller, who came with his wife Verena Schaublin and their three children to Carolina in 1749; Heinrich Zeller came to Philadelphia in 1738; Peter Zell came to Philadelphia County in 1734.



Houseofnames.com on Facebook