Loewenstein History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The history of the Loewenstein family name begins in the German province of Bavaria. The Loewenstein name is derived from the German words "lewen," which means "lion" and "stein," which means "stone." There has been a town of Lowenstein in Wurttemberg since the 12th century. It is dominated by the ruined castle of the counts of Lowenstein.

Early Origins of the Loewenstein family

The surname Loewenstein was first found in Bavaria, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and becoming noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Loewenstein family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Loewenstein research. Another 197 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1295, 1494, 1711 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Loewenstein History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Loewenstein 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 Loewenstein include Loewenstein, Lowenstein, Lovenstein, Loewstein, Lowenstine, Loewenstine and many more.

Early Notables of the Loewenstein family

Prominent among members of the name Loewenstein in this period include

Ludwig von Loewenstein, who began the rejuvenation of this ancient and fallen noble line by attaining the status of count in 1494

Loewenstein migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Loewenstein or a variant listed above:

Loewenstein Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ferdinant Loewenstein, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1792 1

Loewenstein Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Louis Loewenstein, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1835
Joseph Loewenstein, who settled in Philadelphia in 1837
Solomon Loewenstein, who landed in Philadelphia in 1845
Julius Loewenstein, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 1
Mr. Jacob Loewenstein, aged 16, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Dresden" 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Loewenstein (post 1700) +

Rudolph Maurice Loewenstein (1898-1976), Polish-French-American psychoanalyst
Jason Loewenstein (b. 1971), American alternative rock singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
Adolph Loewenstein, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Grao, 1884 3
Karl Loewenstein (1891-1973), German philosopher and political scientist
Otto Egon Loewenstein (b. 1906), German-born British zoologist and Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Birmingham
Antony Loewenstein, atheist Jewish -Australian political activist, freelance journalist, author and blogger

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)
Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2072
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html