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The surname Stockmeyer emerged in the German province of Westphalia, nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. Hereditary surnames that were derived from nicknames were particularly common in this region. Nickname surnames came from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. Stockmeyer is a name for a person who was extremely unyielding. The name Stockmeyer is derived from the German word "stoc," which meant "stubborn." The name was also of local origin and it referred to a person who resided near an unusual tree. In this instance, the name is also derived from the word "stoc," which also referred to the stem or trunk of a tree.
The surname Stockmeyer was first found in Westphalia and northern Germany, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of this large region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation. Chronicles first mention Hans op den Stocken of Halver in 1599, and the variation Stoecken is found frequently in Hanover.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stockmeyer research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1636, 1730, 1761, 1787, 1821, 1831, 1837, 1841 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Stockmeyer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Stockmeyer include Stockmann, Stockman, Stoeckmann, Stockmayer, Stockmeyer, Stockmair, Stockmar and many more.
Notables of the period with the name Stockmeyer were Paul or Paulus Stockmann (1603-1636), a German academic, preacher and hymn-writer, he was court preacher to Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, before dying of the plague in 1636; Johann Heinrich Stockmann, a major in the Austrian army, who was ennobled in 1761 for his outstanding service...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stockmeyer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: