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![Show Contents]() Bensburg History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany
Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Bensburg. Hereditary surnames were adopted in this region after the 12th century, and surnames were derived from localities were common. Local surnames originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the initial bearer of the name was an aristocrat. The Bensburg family originally lived in any of the numerous villages in the duchy of Berg. The last portion of the name Bensburg is derived from the German word burc, and/or the word burg, which both refer to a fortified town. Early Origins of the Bensburg familyThe surname Bensburg was first found in the duchy of Berg, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. Chronicles first mention the name, which was taken from a village in the duchy of Berg, in the year 1222. 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. Early History of the Bensburg familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bensburg research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1278 and 1396 are included under the topic Early Bensburg History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bensburg Spelling VariationsOne 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 Bensburg include Bennesberg, Bensberg, Bensburg, Bensburne, Benesberg, Bensburne, Bennsberg, Bennesbergh, Bennesberger, Bennesburg, Bennesburger, Bensburg, Bensburger, Benesberger, Bennsberger, Bennsburg and many more. Early Notables of the Bensburg familyNotables of the period with the name Bensburg were - Goebel von Bensburg, who lived around 1396 and was known to have made significant changes to the coat-of-arms created by Hermanus von Bensburne
Migration of the Bensburg familyMany Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them were: Friederich CH Bensberg, who arrived in New York in 1849.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Bensburg (post 1700) | + |
- S. W. Bensburg, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1908 1
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