Lichenstein History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Lichenstein

What does the name Lichenstein mean?

The Lichenstein surname is thought to be habitational in origin, deriving from the place name Lichtenstein. The place name stems from the German words "licht," meaning "light" and "stein" meaning "stone."

Early Origins of the Lichenstein family

The surname Lichenstein was first found in Franconia, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as they emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system.

Early History of the Lichenstein family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lichenstein research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1304, 1402, 1466, 1777, 1889 and 1914 are included under the topic Early Lichenstein History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lichenstein 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 Lichenstein include Lichtenstein, Liechtenstein, Lichtensteen, Lichtenstine, Licktenstine, Lichenstine, Lichenstein, Lichenstien, Lichtstein, Lichtstien and many more.

Early Notables of the Lichenstein family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lichenstein Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lichenstein migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Lichenstein or a variant listed above:

Lichenstein Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

M H Lichenstein, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 1
Isaac Lichenstein, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 1

Sources +

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)