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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012
Where did the German Dunkel family come from? What is the German Dunkel family crest and coat of arms? When did the Dunkel family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Dunkel family history? The name Dunkel comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames, so as to remain distinct from others using the same personal (first) name. Local names derived from place names, were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from", which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Dunkel was a name for some one lived near a swamp. Ancient records reveal the name Dunkel is derived from the Old German word dunk, which referred to a small hill in a swampy area. The surname Dunkel is also of nickname origin and derived from the word dunck, or dunkel which means dark. One must assume that the original bearers of the surname Dunkel had dark physical features.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 Dunkel include Dunkel, Dunckel, Dunkelman, Dunkelmann, Dunkell, Dunkle, Dunker and many more. First found in the Rhineland, 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, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. The earliest individual member of this family to be mentioned in chronicles was Georg Dunckel who lived in Cologne on the Rhine river around 1186. This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunkel research. Another 162 words(12 lines of text) covering the years 1811 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Dunkel History in all our PDF Extended History products. Another 24 words(2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dunkel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products. Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Dunkel were among of the early German families that came to North America: Dunkel Settlers in the United States in the 18th Century
Dunkel Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century
The Dunkel Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Dunkel Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname. This page was last modified on 13 December 2011 at 00:45. ©2000-2012 Swyrich Corporation. See Terms of Use for details. houseofnames.com is an internet property owned by Swyrich Corporation. Tools
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