Zellner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Zellner family. Zellner is a local name. Zellner is a name for someone who lived in the place named Zell. This place-name can be found in several areas in Germany, but the most well known town of this name is in the region of Freiburg, which is in the Schwarzwald, or the Black Forest, just north of the Swiss border. The place-name has appeared in several countries where the Germanic people had influence.

Early Origins of the Zellner family

The surname Zellner 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 savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking supremacy in constantly changing power relations. Chronicles first mention Ulrich Zeller of Esslingen in 1282 and Dietrich Czelleman of Muehlhausen in Saxony in 1393. The name originates in the Latin word "cella," which was taken into mediaeval German in the word "Klosterzelle."

Early History of the Zellner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zellner research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1462, 1477, 1497, 1503, 1548, 1560, 1562, 1630, 1683 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Zellner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zellner 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 Zellner include Zeller, Zellers, Zell, Zelle, Zella, Zellmer, Zelleman, Zellaman, Zellemann, Zellner, Zelmer, Zelman, Zelkmann, Zellman, Zelner, Zellerman and many more.

Early Notables of the Zellner family

Prominent among members of the name Zellner in this period include Matthäus (Matias) Zell (1477-1548), a Lutheran theologian and reformer based in Strasbourg; and his wife Katharina Zell, née Schütz (1497-1562), a German Protestant writer during the Reformation; Ulrich Zell...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Zellner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zellner Ranking

In the United States, the name Zellner is the 12,914^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Zellner migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Zellners to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Zellner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Conrad Zellner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 2

Zellner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Jost Hein. Zellner, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Georg Dillus"
Walruch Zellner, who arrived in Indiana in 1852 2
Ferdenand Zellner, who landed in Arkansas in 1857 2
George Zellner, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1882 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Zellner (post 1700) +

Torrance A. Zellner (b. 1970), American track and field athlete
Kathleen Zellner, American lawyer
Hunndens Guiseppi "Peppi" Zellner (b. 1975), former American football player
Arnold Zellner (1927-2010), prominent American Professor of Economics
Paula Zellner, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Democratic National Committee from Wisconsin, 2004-08; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 2004, 2008 3
Lisa K. Zellner, American Democratic Party politician, Member, Platform Committee, Democratic National Convention, 2008 3
J. Kimball Zellner, American politician, Member of Georgia State Senate, 1950 3
Hazel K. Zellner, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1944 3
Ansel Kenneth Zellner (1894-1961), American Republican politician, Veterinarian; Mayor of Oneida, New York, 1938-41 3
Martina Zellner (b. 1974), former German biathlete
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html