Borstel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

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 Borstel. 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 Brandenburg-Prussia provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Borstel family.

Early Origins of the Borstel family

The surname Borstel was first found in Brandenburg, where the name Borstell became noted for its many branches with the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. The name developed from the Old Saxon name Borstel which means "little woods."

Ironically, we find the first record of the family not here but in ancient England where Thomas Borstale (d. 1290?), was a scholastic theologian, a native of Norfolk, and belonged to the convent of Augustinian friars (Friars Eremites) at Norwich; such was the influence of the ancient Saxons. 1

Early History of the Borstel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Borstel research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1566 is included under the topic Early Borstel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Borstel 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 Borstel include Borstell, Borstel, Borsteler, Borstelle, Borsteller, Borstele, Borrstell, Borrstel, Borrstele, Borstler, Borstler, Borstal, Borstaler, Borstaller, Borstaul, Borstall and many more.

Early Notables of the Borstel family

Notable figures of the time with the name Borstel were

the Borstell family of Brandenburg

Borstel 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 Borstels to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Borstel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Agnes Borstel, who settled in New York in 1849
J. Von Borstel, who arrived in New York City in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Borstel (post 1700) +

Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel (b. 1980), American politician, Mayor of Nogales, Arizona, 2008-10; Appointed 2008 2

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html