Burgheim History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Germany

Etymology of Burgheim

The bountiful region surrounding the Rhine river is the birthplace of the name Burgheim. A single name was, at one time, all that people needed. However, increasing ease of travel and the burgeoning populations forced people to adopt a hereditary surname to set themselves apart from others. A common form of surname found in the Rhineland was the local name, a name taken on from a place-name. Originally denoting the proprietorship of a village or estate, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Burgheim was given to someone who lived in the Rhine valley.

Early Origins of the Burgheim family

Early History of the Burgheim family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burgheim research. Another 279 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1244, 1491, 1505, 1512, 1535, 1565, 1572, 1683, 1698 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Burgheim History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burgheim Spelling Variations

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 Burgheim include Berchem, Bercheim, Berchheim, Bergheim, Bergheimer, Berghem, Burgheim, Burghem, Bergem, Bercheme, Berchems, Bercham, Berkem and many more.

Early Notables of the Burgheim family

Georg von Berchem, Privy Councellor at the court of Brandenburg, who was ennobled in 1698 in reward for his outstanding service. Jacquet de Berchem (1505-1565), a prominent Flemish composer, was primarily known for his madrigals. He was born in Flanders at the commencement of the 16th century, and flourished...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burgheim Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burgheim family

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Burgheim, or one of its variants above: Wilhelm Bergheimer, who came to Philadelphia in 1732.