Strauss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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 Strauss. 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 in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Strauss family.
Early Origins of the Strauss family
The surname Strauss was first found in the Altmark region, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. One source suggests that the earliest origin of the name was in fact the Principality of Cologne; but other chronicles suggest the true origin to be the ancient province of Altmark, later the duchy of Brunswick. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made these territories landmark contributors to the building of the nation.
Early History of the Strauss family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Strauss research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1337, 1575, 1580, 1749, 1789, 1790, 1804, 1825, 1827, 1835, 1849, 1870, 1899 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Strauss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Strauss Spelling Variations
One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Strauss include Strauss, Straus, Strous, Strouss, Strus, Struss, Straessle, Struessgen, Striuss, Strius and many more.
Early Notables of the Strauss family
Notable figures of the time with the name Strauss were
- Christoph Strauss (1575-1580), who was a prominent Austrian composer at the Hapsburg court...
- In the 19th century, the Strauss family formed a dynasty of musicians and composers...
Strauss World Ranking
In the United States, the name Strauss is the 2,981st most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Strauss is ranked the 5,339th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2 And in South Africa, the name Strauss is the 541st popular surname with an estimated 12,960 people with that name. 3
Strauss migration to the United States +
The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Strausss to arrive in North America, and among them were:
Strauss Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Albrecht Strauss, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
- Johan Georg Strauss, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 4
- Nicolaus Strauss, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 4
- Anna Eva Strauss, who arrived in America in 1753 4
- Mrs. Hans Michel Strauss, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Strauss Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Heinemann Strauss, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 4
- Georg Andreas Strauss, who landed in Texas in 1840-1850 4
- Maurice Strauss, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1844 4
- Mr. Georg A. Strauss, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Everhard"
- Mrs. Susanna Strauss, (nee Limpert), German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Everhard"
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Strauss Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Alexander Strauss, who arrived in Arkansas in 1900 4
- Ben Strauss, who landed in Arkansas in 1901 4
Strauss migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Strauss Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- C M Strauss, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842
Contemporary Notables of the name Strauss (post 1700) +
- Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss (1896-1974), American businessman, philanthropist, public official, and naval officer, a major figure in the development of nuclear weapons and nuclear power, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Johann Strauss (1804-1849), Austrian prolific composer famous for his waltzes, perhaps best known for his Radetzky March
- Joseph Baermann Strauss (1870-1938), German-American structural engineer and designer of the Golden Gate Bridge in California
- James Dean Strauss (b. 1929), American theologian who was professor of theology
- Robert Schwarz Strauss (1918-2014), American diplomat, Ambassador to Russia (1991-1992), recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Henry L. Strauss, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Colorado 6th District, 1998; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 2000 5
- Henry Strauss, American politician, Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia, 1891-97 5
- Harry E. Strauss, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Kings County 23rd District, 1944 5
- Gus James Strauss (b. 1912), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Texas State Senate, 1947-50; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1952 5
- Edwin Strauss, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1918 5
- ... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Strauss family +
- Mr. Julius Strauss, Canadian 1st Class Passenger from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 6
Suggested Readings for the name Strauss +
- The Waltz Emperors: the Life and Times and Music of the Strauss Family by Joseph Wechsberg.
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
- 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
- Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/