| ![Show Contents]() Sellen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Germany Etymology of SellenWhat does the name Sellen mean? The surname Sellen is derived from the Middle High German word "sell," which meant "traveling companion." It was most likely originally nickname, which then became a hereditary surname. Early Origins of the Sellen familyThe surname Sellen was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region, later moving to Lithuania and East Prussia. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the military and civil service, which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development and eventual unification of the German nation. Early History of the Sellen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sellen research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1663, 1797 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Sellen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sellen Spelling VariationsOne 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 Sellen include Sell, Selle, Sellen, Sellers, Seller, Sellmann, Sellman and many more. Early Notables of the Sellen familyMore information is included under the topic Early Sellen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Sellen migration to the United States | + |
Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:
Sellen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Dirick Sellen, who sailed to Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1691
- Dirick Sellen, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1691-1692 1
- Hendrick Sellen, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1691-1692 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Sellen (post 1700) | + |
- John H. Sellen, American founder of John H. Sellen Construction Company in 1944, now known as Sellen Construction
- Birgitta Sellén (b. 1945), Swedish Centre Party politician, Second Vice Speaker of the Riksdag in 2006
- 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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