| ![Show Contents]() Stiens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of StiensWhat does the name Stiens mean? The long and noble heritage behind the name of Stiens first began in 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 Stiens 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 Stiens literally means "stone" 1 and was an occupational name for a stone cutter. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word stein, meaning stone. In some cases the name may be topographical in nature and derive from the fact the original bearer lived near a prominent stone or rock. Early Origins of the Stiens familyThe surname Stiens was first found in Austria, in the cities of Berne and Neuchatel, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in regional political struggles for power. They branched into many houses in Austria, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. Early History of the Stiens familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stiens research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1796, 1809, 1810, 1820, 1838, 1863 and 1935 are included under the topic Early Stiens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Stiens 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 Stiens include Steiner, Steinert, Steinertz, Steinerth, Steinere, Stein, Steine and many more. Early Notables of the Stiens familyAnother 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stiens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Stiens migration to the United States | + |
After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Stiens were
Stiens Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Frank Stiens, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 2
- Franz Stiens, who arrived in Ohio in 1869 2
- Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
- 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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