Ochsner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Ochsner family. The Ochsner surname evolved as a local name. It is a name for a family that lived in Franconia, where their name rose to prominence through their involvement in the social and cultural affairs of the area. Their seat and land holdings were in the free canton of Gebuerg. The ancestral home of the Ochsner family is found in the Rhineland. Ochsner is of several possible origins, all of which derive from a common root; the name comes from the Middle High German ochs, meaning "ox." It may have originated from a nickname, referring to "one as stubborn as an ox." Alternatively, the original bearer of the name may have been someone who kept or sold oxen. Finally, the surname may be derived from a place of residence distinguished by a sign; in this case, the name would indicate "one who dwelled in the house with the sign of the ox."

Early Origins of the Ochsner family

The surname Ochsner was first found in the Rhineland, where the Ochsner family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. The earliest known bearer of the name was Hans Ochslin, who was a resident of Waldsee in 1536. Always prominent in social affairs, the young Ochsner family became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Ochsner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ochsner research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1554, 1752, 1802, 1810 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Ochsner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ochsner Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Ochsner include Ochs, Ochss, Ochse, Och, Ochsse, Ocks, Ockss, Ockse, Ocksse, Osse (northern Germany), Oexle (Swabia), Oxle (Swabia), Oechsle, Ochsner, Exline, Echslin, Oxle, Ochslein ("little ox") and many more.

Early Notables of the Ochsner family

Prominent among members of the name Ochsner in this period include Peter Ochse from Gieselfeld (around 1554), a member of the Danish branch of the family who moved to Ravensburg where he became a major in the Bavarian army. According to Saxon...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ochsner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ochsner migration to the United States +

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 Ochsner or a variant listed above:

Ochsner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Elisabeth Ochsner, who landed in Carolina in 1738 1
Hansz Ochsner, who arrived in Carolina in 1741 1

Ochsner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Wendelin Ochsner, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1866 1

Ochsner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Johann Ochsner, aged 39, who landed in New York, NY in 1901 1
Magdalena Ochsner, aged 33, who arrived in America in 1901 1
Rosine Ochsner, who landed in America in 1901 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Ochsner (post 1700) +

Gina Ochsner (b. 1970), American author best known for her story collection, The Necessary Grace to Fall
Jeffrey Karl Ochsner (b. 1950), American architect, architectural historian, and professor
Wilhelm-Francis "Willifrank" Ochsner (1899-1990), highly decorated German Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht
John Lockwood Ochsner, another prominent New Orleans physician
Alton Ochsner (b. 1896), prominent New Orleans surgeon, professor, and president of numerous national and international medical associations

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)