Show ContentsDroste History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the distinguished German surname lie in the province of Westphalia. The name is derived from the Old German word "drotsete," which is itself derived from the elements "truht," meaning "body of servants," and "sizzen," meaning "to preside." Thus, the surname would denote a head servant or steward, in charge of a nobleman's household servants.

Early Origins of the Droste family

The surname Droste was first found in Westphalia, where the Droste ancestral home is located. The earliest known bearer of the name was Gerhart Drossessere, who was a resident of Schweinheim, Westphalia in 1335. The Droste family was instrumental during this early period, playing a major role in the development of medieval Westphalian society.

Early History of the Droste family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Droste research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1335, 1420, 1633, 1659, 1781, 1796, 1797, 1826, 1828, 1848, 1868 and 1892 are included under the topic Early Droste History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Droste Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Droste, Drost, Droz, Drossate, Drossaerd, Drossärd, Drossart and many more.

Early Notables of the Droste family

Notables of the period with the name Droste were

  • Maximilian Franz Xaver Freiherr von Droste zu Senden (1781-1828), a well-known military general, Georg Ernst August Droste (1796-1868), a physician from Hanover, and Baroness Annette Elisabeth von Dro...


United States Droste migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Droste Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Rudolph Droste, aged 35, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 1
  • W Droste, aged 34, who landed in America in 1845 1
  • Carl Wilh Droste, who landed in America in 1845 1
  • Doris Droste, aged 26, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1
  • G H Droste, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Droste (post 1700) +

  • Edward "Ed" Droste (b. 1978), American musician, original member of the indie-rock group Grizzly Bear
  • Sebastian Droste (1892-1927), German poet, actor and dancer
  • Gottfried von Droste (1908-1992), German physical chemist
  • Hans Droste (1915-1976), German Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  • Daniel Droste (b. 1980), German musician, guitarist of the gothic/folk metal band Midnattsol
  • Silvia Droste (b. 1960), German jazz singer
  • Wout Droste (b. 1989), Dutch professional footballer
  • Gerardus J. Droste, Dutch founder of the eponymous Droste B.V., a Dutch chocolate manufacturer in 1863 and eponym of the Droste effect, the effect of a picture appearing within itself used in their packaging


  1. 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)


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