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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012

Origins Available: English, German

Where did the German Kroft family come from? What is the German Kroft family crest and coat of arms? When did the Kroft family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Kroft family history?

The name Kroft is derived from the Old German word "craft," which means "strong" or "courageous." In the early Middle Ages, Kroft was a popular first name among knights because it referred to strength. In the early 14th century, a number of branches in southern Germany adopted Kraft or Craft as a family name.

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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 Kroft include Kraft, Krafft, Kraftt, Krafte, Kraffte, Krafter, Kraften, Kraefte, Kraeft, Kreft, Krefte, Craft, Crafft, Crafte, Craffte, Craeft and many more.

First found in Bavaria, where the family made a considerable contribution to the feudal society which shaped modern Europe. The family branched into several houses, all of which played an important role in the local political conflicts which forged the nation. In the early Middle Ages, the name was a popular first name taken on by knights. In the early 14th century, a number of branches in southern Germany developed around Kraft or Craft as a family name. Individual bearers of this name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include the famous minstrel Count Kraft von Toggenburg from the Thurgau region, and Hans Kraft of Wuerzburg (c.1409).


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This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kroft research. Another 384 words(27 lines of text) covering the years 1298, 1429, 1507, 1552, 1679, 1749, 1770, 1778, 1805, 1813, 1820, and 1840 are included under the topic Early Kroft History in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Another 80 words(6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kroft Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.

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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 Kroft or a variant listed above:

Kroft Settlers in the United States in the 18th Century


  • Nicholas Kroft, who arrived in Philadelphia County, Pa in 1747

Kroft Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century


  • Christopher Kroft, who arrived in Baltimore, Md in 1832
  • John Kroft, who landed in Somerset County, Pa in 1852
  • Leanhard Kroft, aged 21, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1894

Kroft Settlers in the United States in the 20th Century


  • Johann Kroft, aged 59, who arrived at Ellis Island from Hamburg, in 1903
  • Arnold Kroft, aged 23, who arrived at Ellis Island from Berlin, in 1904
  • Johann Kroft, aged 26, who arrived at Ellis Island from Oberdrassen, Hungary, in 1911
  • Joseph Kroft, aged 27, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1924

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  • Steve Kroft (b. 1945), American journalist and a longtime correspondent for CBS' 60 Minutes
  • Richard Henry Kroft CM (b. 1938), former Canadian lawyer, businessman and Senator
  • Willem "Wim" Frederik van der Kroft (1916-2001), Dutch bronze medalist canoeist at the 1936 Summer Olympics


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  1. Siebmacher, J.J. Siebmachers Wappenbuch. München, Battenberg: 1975. Print.
  2. Kneschke, Dr. Ernest Heinrich. Neues allgemeines Deutsches Adels-Lexicon 9 Volumes New General German Aristocracy Lexicon. Leipzig: Friedrich Voigt, 1859. Print.
  3. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston Texas 1896-1951. National Archives Washington DC. Print.
  4. Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
  5. Garland, Mary and Henry Garland Editions. Oxford Companion To German Literature 3rd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. Print. (ISBN 0198158963).
  6. Filby, P. William and Mary K Meyer. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index in Four Volumes. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8).
  7. Rupp, Daniel L. A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants to Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 2000. Print. (ISBN 978-0806303024).
  8. Preuss, Otto. Die Lippischen Familiennamen mit Berücksichtigung der Ortsnamen. Detmold: Meyer'sche Hofbuchh, 1887. Print.
  9. Crozier, William Armstrong Edition. Crozier's General Armory A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. New York: Fox, Duffield, 1904. Print.
  10. Kapff, Rudolf. Schwäbische Geschlechtsnamen. Stuttgart: Verlag Silberburg, 1927. Print.
  11. ...

The Kroft Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Kroft 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 17 April 2012 at 15:54.

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