Show ContentsRosensteel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient German region of the Rhineland was the original home of the name Rosensteel. Rosensteel was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, often attaching the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from", in some cases as a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common style of German hereditary surname. Rosensteel was a name for someone who lived in a township called Resenthal which is a place-name that denoted someone who came from an area where there was a valley of roses. Rosensteel is therefore a local name, indicating that the original bearer once lived, or held land in that area.

Early Origins of the Rosensteel family

The surname Rosensteel was first found in the Rhineland, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Rosensteel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rosensteel research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1622, 1625 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Rosensteel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rosensteel 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 Rosensteel include Rosenthal, Rosental, Rosenthall, Rosentahl, Rosenthaler, Rosentaler, Rosethal, Rosetal, Rosethaler, Rosetaler, Rozenthal, Rozental, Rossenthal, Rossental, Rossenthaler, Rossentaler and many more.

Early Notables of the Rosensteel family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rosensteel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Rosensteel migration to the United States +

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Rosensteel, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Rosensteel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Rosensteel, aged 19, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 1


  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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