Von'der'horst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Von'der'horst

What does the name Von'der'horst mean?

The name Von'der'horst comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from". It originally indicated land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Von'der'horst family originally lived near or in a hurst, which is a wood or thicket. Thus, Von'der'horst 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.

Early Origins of the Von'der'horst family

The surname Von'der'horst was first found in Westphalia, where the name Horst contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation. The name appears in chronicles of 1292, which place Berthold von der Horst, a knight, at the family seat in the county of Recklingshausen. They eventually formed three main lines of descent: the von der Horst zu Horst, von der Horst zum Hauss und zu Milsen, and von der Horst zu Mudlinghoven und Hellenbruch. The names of these lines come from the intermarriage with the Hauss family, or from the name of the estates in their possession.

Early History of the Von'der'horst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Von'der'horst research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1664 and 1741 are included under the topic Early Von'der'horst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Von'der'horst Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Von'der'horst include Horst, Horste, Horsst, Horsste, Horest, Horeste, Horstt and many more.

Early Notables of the Von'der'horst family

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

Migration of the Von'der'horst family

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: Walter Horst, who sailed to London England in 1709; Wendel Horst, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1743; Ludwig Horst, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1750.