Show ContentsOshwald History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Oshwald evolved in ancient Germany in the state of Bavaria. It is a patronymic name. Patronymics are derived from the given name of the father of the bearer. Names derived from the name of the mother of the bearer, which are less common, are called metronymic names. Patronymic names were generally formed from traditional, German given names, rather than the names of saints or biblical figures, as is the custom in many other European cultures. Oshwald comes from a famous king of Northumbria. It was popularized as a first name after King Oswald, who lived in the 7th century, and who traveled from Scotland to southern Germany and Tyrol as a missionary. Oshwald had begun to be taken on as a last name by around the 12th century.

Early Origins of the Oshwald family

The surname Oshwald was first found in Bavaria, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. Chronicles first mention Claus Oswald of Wuerttemberg in 1493, and Hans Oschwald in 1392. The name became popular as a first name after King Oswald of Northumbria (d.642 A.D.) traveled from Scottland to southern Germany and Tyrol as a missionary. It was taken on as a last name by around the 12th century.

Early History of the Oshwald family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oshwald research. Another 203 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1377, 1401, 1445, 1744, 1785, 1799, 1801, 1808 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Oshwald History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oshwald 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 Oshwald include Oswald, Oswalde, Oswaldt, Oswaldte, Oswalt, Oswalte, Ostwald and many more.

Early Notables of the Oshwald family

Prominent among members of the name Oshwald in this period include Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445), who was of knightly birth from Tyrol. A restless and energetic man, he ran away from home at the age of 10 to become a minstrel. He wandered...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oshwald Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Oshwald family

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Oshwald or a variant listed above: Henry Oswald, who came to Philadelphia in 1732; Carl Oswald arrived in Texas in 1855; Gottlieb Oswald came to Philadelphia, Pa. in 1867; Julius Oswald came to Philadelphia in 1856.



Houseofnames.com on Facebook