Brandenburger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Brandenburger comes from Prussia, a historic region that originally encompassed the coastal lands of the southeast Baltic, but over time expanded to include much of Poland and the majority of Germany. In pre-medieval times, these Prussians used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames so that they would remain distinct from the many others with the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from", which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Brandenburger was a name for some one lived in Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany. By the 19th century, Brandenburg-Prussia had incorporated East Prussia, West Prussia and many other German territories. Moreover, in the late 19th century, it led the German states in the unification of Germany.

Early Origins of the Brandenburger family

The surname Brandenburger was first found in Prussia, where this family name became noted for its many branches within the region.

Early History of the Brandenburger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brandenburger research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1689, 1713 and 1794 are included under the topic Early Brandenburger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brandenburger Spelling Variations

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 Brandenburger include Brandenburg, Brandenberg, Brandenburge, Brandenberge, Branddenburg, Branddenberg, Brandenberger and many more.

Early Notables of the Brandenburger family

More information is included under the topic Early Brandenburger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brandenburger 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 Brandenburgers to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Brandenburger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Wil Henrich Brandenburger, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 1

Brandenburger Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Philip Peter Brandenburger, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1846 1
Georg Brandenburger, age 24, who arrived in New York in 1847
Georg Brandenburger, aged 24, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 1
Aug Brandenburger, who landed in America in 1853 1
Will Brandenburger, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1857 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Brandenburger (post 1700) +

William A. Brandenburger, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for California, 1952 2

Historic Events for the Brandenburger family +

Bismarck

Otto Brandenburger (1911-1941), German Matrose IXVp Res. who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3

Citations +

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, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details