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Bolte History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Bolte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Bolte. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Bolte family.

Early Origins of the Bolte family

The surname Bolte was first found in Mecklenburg. 1 As seen by the Coat of Arms, the name could have been an occupational name for someone who built bolts or darts.

Around the 1200-1400's some of the family moved from Friesland to Pomerania, where Bolte or Boldeke was a popular personal name. An early record was found in Stettin (Szczecin), West Pomerania in 1344. A few years later, Hans Bolting was listed in 1411 and later again, Joachim Bolte, Mayor of Wolgast, was knighted in 1675 as Bolte von Boltenstern. He was elected by the Swedish King Karl XI in 1675. 2

His son, Franz Michael von Boltenstern (1657-1716) was a German lawyer and director of the royal Swedish court in Greifswald. He and his wife had ten children including his son, Johann Franz von Boltenstern (1700-1763) who was judge at the court court and at the Wismar high tribunal.

Early History of the Bolte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolte research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1700, 1716, 1763, 1786, 1796 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Bolte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolte 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 Bolte include Bolte, Boltt, Boltte, Boldt, Boldte, Bollte, Bolt and many more.

Early Notables of the Bolte family

Notable figures of the time with the name Bolte were

Carl Gottfried von Bolte, who was a cavalry officer possessing estates in Pomerania
Johann Franz von Boltenstern (1700-1763) was a German lawyer and judge at the Court Court in Greifswald and at the Wismar Higher Tribunal. He was the son of Franz Michael von Boltenstern (d. 1716), di...
Ferdinand Wilhelm Franz Bolstern of Boltenstern (1786-1814), was a Prussian officer who died in the fighting around Cologne during the Wars of Liberation. He cam from came from the Pomeranian / Swedis...

Bolte Ranking

In the United States, the name Bolte is the 11,914^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Bolte migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Boltes to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Bolte Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Amias Bolte, age 23, who settled in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship "Neptune"

Bolte Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christian Bolte, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 4

Bolte Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bern Theodor Bolte, aged 48, who landed in America in 1836 4
Joseph Bolte, aged 39, who landed in Missouri in 1840 4
Gottl Bolte, aged 29, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1845 4
F. W. Bolte, who arrived in Texas in 1847
Frederick Bolte, who landed in Maryland in 1848 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bolte migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bolte Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Frederick Bolte, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Bolte (post 1700) +

Charles L. Bolte (1895-1989), American officer, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
August Bolte (1854-1920), American politician, Lieutenant Governor of the state of Missouri (1897-1901)
Richard J. Bolte Sr., American businessman and philanthropist, life-long supporter of Mount St. Mary's University, Maryland, eponym of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business
Audrey Bolte, American model, Miss Ohio USA 2012
Charles L. Bolte (1895-1989), U.S. Army general and World War I and World War II veteran, Vice Chief of Staff US Army (1953-1955), recipient of the Silver Star, Legion of Merit and Purple Heart
Dr. Michael Bolte, American Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and director of Observatories at the University of California
Wilhelm Bolte (1902-1974), German politician (SRP)
Peter Bolte (b. 1967), German jazz saxophonist
Ursula Bolte (b. 1944), German state politician (North Rhine-Westphalia) (SPD)
Wilhelm Bolte (1859-1941), German sculptor
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bolte family +

Bismarck

Rudolf Bolte (1919-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6

Citations +

Rietstap, Johannes Baptista, Armorial Général. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details