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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 Barfuss. 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 East Prussia, which was located on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and was bordered by Poland and Lithuania, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Barfuss family.
The surname Barfuss was first found in the Altmark, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation. "Barfuesser," which means one who goes barefoot, was a label for the Franciscan order of monks; through their vow of poverty they would go without shoes and it gradually became a family name. The name belongs to an ancient noble family of the Altmark region just west of Brandenburg which gained power and influence throughout Germany. Ricolf Parfuse, for example, is shown to have been mayor of Cologne in 1216.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barfuss research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1216, 1635, 1699 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Barfuss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Barfuss include Barfuss, Barfus, Barvot, Barfuesse, Parfus, Parfus and many more.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barfuss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Since medieval times, the state of Prussia has played an important part in the history of Germany. The state's military powers were historically very strong, and endured until after the Second World War, when the territory was broken up and divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. A spurt of migration followed, with some Prussians going elsewhere in Europe and many others crossing the ocean to North America. Most entered the United States through Philadelphia. Some remained there, while more moved on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others traveled to Canada and settled Ontario and the prairie provinces. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Barfuss or a variant listed above: