Ortel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The surname Ortel is derived from the High German word "ort," meaning "high point." The name was likely first borne by someone living at the end of a street or a village.

Early Origins of the Ortel family

The surname Ortel was first found in Wertheim, Main, where Orto of Mendfeld is recorded to have been living in 1260. Another early instance of the name dates back to 1271, when Thietrich an dem Orte was recorded as being a resident of Basel.

Early History of the Ortel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ortel research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1271, 1377, 1698 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Ortel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ortel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ort, Orte, Orto, Ohrt, Orthmann, Ohrtmann, Ordemann and many more.

Early Notables of the Ortel family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ortel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ortel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ortel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Ortel, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 1

The Ortel Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sine macula
Motto Translation: Without stain.

Citations +

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)