Oppermann History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Oppermann comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames, so as to remain distinct from others using the same personal (first) name. Local names derived from place names, were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from", which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Oppermann was a name for some one lived in the region of Oppenheim in the town of Hesse, between Mainz and Worms. Oppermann is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Oppermann family

The surname Oppermann was first found in the Rhineland, where the name Oppenheim was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society that became prominent throughout Europe. The name later emerged as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches that become noted for their involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Oppermann family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oppermann research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1867 is included under the topic Early Oppermann History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oppermann 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 Oppermann include Oppenheim, Openheim, Oppennheim, Opennheim, Oppenheime, Oppenheimm, Oppenheimer and many more.

Early Notables of the Oppermann family

More information is included under the topic Early Oppermann Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oppermann migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Oppermann were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Oppermann Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Heinrich Oppermann, who landed in America in 1778 1
Franz Oppermann, who arrived in America in 1780 1

Oppermann Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Maria Oppermann, aged 4, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 1
Cath Oppermann, aged 26, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 1
Conrad Oppermann, aged 15, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 1
Elisabeth Oppermann, aged 13, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 1
Dorothea Elis Oppermann, aged 41, who landed in America in 1836 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Oppermann Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emil Laurence Oppermann, who landed in Colorado in 1900 1

Oppermann migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Oppermann Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Augustus Oppermann, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th August 1859 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Oppermann (post 1700) +

Nicole Oppermann, American actress who played the role of Sarah in the horror film Stay Alive
Thomas Ludwig Albert Oppermann (1954-2020), German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Vice President of the Bundestag (2017-2020)
Carl Oppermann (1838-1916), German founder of the Carl Oppermann Electric Carriage Co. Ltd which produced electric automobiles from 1902 to 1907
Thomas Oppermann (b. 1931), German legal academic and university administrator, awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2004
Rüdiger Oppermann (b. 1954), German harpist who specializes in the Celtic harp
Ludvig Henrik Ferdinand Oppermann (1817-1883), Danish mathematician and philologist who formulated Oppermann's conjecture

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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html