Messman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The origins the old family name Messman can be found within medieval Austria. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in Germany, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Messman family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Messman was an occupational name for a knife maker. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word messer, meaning knife, and is often attached to the word schmidt, meaning smith or craftsman.

Early Origins of the Messman family

The surname Messman was first found in Austria, where this family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Chronicles first mention Niklaus Messer of Freiburg in 1369, Peter Messersmidel of Iglau in 1385, and Johann Melczer der Messer of Breslau in 1370. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Messman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Messman research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1685, 1735 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Messman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Messman Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Messman include Messer, Messen, Messe, Messa, Meser, Messerer, Messerschmidt, Messerschmitt, Messerschmied, Messerle, Messerli, Messerlee, Messerly and many more.

Early Notables of the Messman family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Messman were Daniel Gottlieb Messerschmidt (1685-1735), a German physician, naturalist and geographer; Lord Messerschmidt, the Lord of Wittbeck and...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Messman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Messman migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Messman or a variant listed above:

Messman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Messman, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1832 1
Francis Messman, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1848 1
Barnhart Messman, who landed in Sonierset County, Pennsylvania in 1850 1

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)