Show ContentsHimmler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient and distinguished German surname Himmler originated in the former duchy of Swabia, where the ancestral home of the family remains to this day. The name is derived from the Middle German word "Himel," meaning "heaven, sky," and developed into a surname through a number of origins. Firstly, "Himmel" is the name of a number of different places throughout Germany; thus, the original bearer of the name may have been a native of one of these areas. Alternatively, the name may have been originally bestowed as a nickname in some form, such as "Himmelstützer" (support the sky) on a very tall person, or "Himmelseher" (sky gazer) on someone who was fond of the stars.

Early Origins of the Himmler family

The surname Himmler was first found in Swabia, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging mediaeval society. The name became prominent as many branches of the family founded separate houses and acquired estates in various regions, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society. The first individual to be recorded in ancient chronicles was Burcardus zem Himel of Basel in 1297.

Early History of the Himmler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Himmler research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1756, 1792, 1795 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Himmler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Himmler Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Himmel, Himml, Himmler, Himmeler, Himel, Himler, Himeler and many more.

Early Notables of the Himmler family

Notables with the surname Himmler during this period were Friedrich Heinrich Himmel (1756-1814), a talented pianist, who became chamber composer to the Prussian court in 1792. In 1795 he...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Himmler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Himmler migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Himmler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Eberhart Himmler, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1845-1846 [1]
  • John Himmler, who was naturalized in Indiana in 1847
  • George Himmler, who settled in New Jersey in 1883

Contemporary Notables of the name Himmler (post 1700) +

  • Robin Himmler, American television actress and real-life secretary to Donald Trump
  • Frank N Himmler, American Associate Professor of Geography at Arizona State University


  1. 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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