Aber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The historic region of Austria is the birthplace of the esteemed surname Aber. The name is derived from "Aber," a personal name of Teutonic origin, popular in various forms throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, meaning "illustrious." The surname was most likely first borne by the son of one called Aber.

Early Origins of the Aber family

The surname Aber was first found in Austria, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

The name was especially common throughout the Middle Ages owing to the fame of the holy Adalbert of Prague, the archbishop who was martyred in 997 while converting the tribes of Prussia. Albrecht I (1255-1308) was the King of Germany from 1298 to 1308. Albrecht II (1397-1439,) son of Duke Albrecht IV of Austria, was elected German King in 1438, returning the house of Habsburg to the imperial throne after a lapse of 132 years.

Albrecht III "the Pious" (1401-60) was the much-loved Duke of Bavaria, as was his son, Duke Albrecht IV "the wise." These kings and dukes contributed to the popularity of the name.

Early History of the Aber family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aber research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1604, 1621, 1626, 1631, 1638, 1651, 1657, 1674, 1677, 1752, 1760 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Aber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aber 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 Aber include Albrecht, Albrech, Allbrecht, Albrechs, Adalbert, Albert and many more.

Early Notables of the Aber family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Aber were Albrecht, Marschall von Rapperswil, who was a great Swiss nobleman and poet at the end of the 13th century. Among the many prominent mediaeval troubadours and poets with this name are: Albrecht von Eyb, Albrecht von Halberstadt, Albrecht von Johannsdorf, Albrecht von...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aber Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aber migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Aber or a variant listed above:

Aber Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

R Aber, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1848 1
Frederick Aber, who was naturalized in Ohio in 1854
Ernestine Aber, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States, in 1894

Aber Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Saloman Aber, aged 19, who landed in America from London, England, in 1906
Katalin Aber, aged 17, who landed in America, in 1911
David L. Aber, aged 40, who landed in America, in 1911
Eliza Aber, aged 63, who settled in America, in 1912
Lawrence Aber, aged 29, who immigrated to America, in 1917
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Aber (post 1700) +

Ita H. Aber (b. 1932), American textile artist
Albert Julius "Lefty" Aber (1927-1993), American left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher
Aber Whitcomb (b. 1977), American CTO of MindJolt, former CTO and a founder of MySpace

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)