Surname Saturday: Schunk

According to Dictionary of American Family Names, edited by Patrick Hanks (Oxford University Press, 2003), the surname Schunk comes from a South German nickname for someone with long legs (the Middle High German word for leg bone is schinke) or from a Slavic word meaning "piglet."

Absolute distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Schunk&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Schunk&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

My known Schunk ancestors are:

5th-great-grandmother: Agnes Schunk
born about 1744, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Heinrich Erp
died 9 March 1819, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

6th-great-grandfather: Peter Schunk

Surname Saturday: Bennet

According to the Internet Surname Database, the surname Bennet comes from the Roman personal name Benedictus, which means "blessed." It has been recorded with more than two hundred spellings, including Bennett, Benet, Benyt, Benedicte, Benech, Banish, Beneit, Benoit, Beinosovitch, and Vedyasov. The name was originally popular because of Saint Benedict.

According to Irish Ancestors, the surname Bennett is common in all provinces, especially Ulster. The Irish form of the surname is Binéid. It is also found as MacBennett.

My 4th-great-grandmother Mary Bennet was born about 1814 in Ireland.  In 1831, when Mary married Hugh Winters in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, her father Peter Bennet was living in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Surname Saturday: Walker

 According to the Internet Surname Database, the surname Walker is of Anglo-Scottish origins and is either a locational name that comes from Walker, Northumberland, or an occupational name for a fuller, from the pre-7th-century word wealcere (which describes a fuller's work of scouring and thickening cloth by placing it in a vessel containing a water mixture and trampling on it).

According to Irish Ancestors, the surname Walker is common in all areas of Ireland, particularly in Ulster.

My 3rd-great-grandmother Anna "Ann" Walker was born on 28 February 1842 in Ireland. I do not yet know the identity of her father.

Surname Saturday: Leÿ

The surname Leÿ is one of my ancestral surnames. The German language used to include the letter ÿ, but it is no longer used. According to Dictionary of German Names, 2nd ed., by Hans Bahlow (Madison, Wisconsin: Max Kade Institute, 2002), the surname Ley (or Leyh) is an Upper German name that is frequently found in the Rhineland area. It comes from Eley, a variant of Eloy, which is another name for Saint Eligius. Saint Eligius was the patron saint of goldsmiths and horses.

Absolute distribution (Ley)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Ley&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution (Ley)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Ley&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

My known Leÿ ancestors are:

4th-great-grandmother: Christina Leÿ
born about 1779
married Peter Nagel 13 April 1814, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 18 March 1858, Hermülheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Christian Leÿ
born about 1740, Hermülheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Catharina Wirtz
died 21 June 1803, Hermülheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

6th-great-grandfather: Johan Leÿ
married Apolonia

Surname Saturday: Nagel

The surname Nagel means "nail" in German. It is an occupational surname that was used by nailsmiths.

Absolute distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Nagel&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Nagel&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

My known Nagel ancestors are:

2nd-great-grandmother: Christina Nagel
born 27 February 1851, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Carl Joseph Schneider 31 January 1878, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 16 January 1934, St. Louis, Missouri

3rd-great-grandfather: Johann Nagel
born 19 April 1814, Hermülheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Anna Maria Aussem (my 3rd-great-grandmother) 31 August 1848, Hürth,
Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Anna Maria Klein 23 October 1861
died 15 February 1891, Remagen, Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

4th-great-grandfather: Peter Nagel
born about 1782, Metternich, Euskirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Christina Leÿ 13 April 1814, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 9 December 1842, Hermülheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Johann Nagel
married Anna Maria Breidenbender

Surname Saturday: Schneider

The surname Schneider means "tailor" in German. It is an occupational surname. These maps from Christoph Stöpel's Geogen 3.0 surname mapping site show just how common the surname is.

Absolute distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Schneider&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Schneider&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

My known Schneider ancestors are:

Maternal grandmother: Margaret Ann Schneider
born 16 March 1911, St. Louis, Missouri
married William Herbert Foerstel 22 September 1931, St. Louis, Missouri
married John Boe (my grandfather) 25 September 1939, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana
died 4 August 1986, New York, New York

Great-grandfather: John (Johann) Schneider
born 6 December 1878, Remagen, Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Paulina Gersbacher 23 July 1902, St. Louis, Missouri
died 11 June 1955, St. Louis, Missouri

2nd-great-grandfather: Carl Joseph Schneider
born 22 January 1855, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Christina Nagel 31 January 1878, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 5 November 1901, St. Louis, Missouri

3rd-great-grandfather: Johann Wilhelm Schneider
baptized 2 April 1826, Remagen, Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Anna Sibylle Lindlohr (my 3rd-great-grandmother) 20 April 1853, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Adelheid Noll 3 February 1863, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
died 13 November 1871, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

4th-great-grandfather: Nikolaus Schneider
baptized 11 September 1777, Düngenheim, Cochem-Zell, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Anna Franziska Fassbender 6 January 1818, Remagen, Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
died 7 November 1835, Remagen, Ahrweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Bernhard Schneider
married Catharina Miesen
died 12 November 1784, Düngenheim, Cochem-Zell, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Surname Saturday: Winters

The surname Winters has multiple origins. According to the Internet Surname Database, it was originally a nickname for "someone of a frosty or gloomy temperament." Wintr was the word for "winter" in Old English, Middle High German, and Norse. It is also an ornamental surname that was given to Ashkenazi Jews in Germany. It can also be an Irish surname that comes from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Gheimhridh. Gheimhridh means "winter." Irish Ancestors contains information from the surname dictionary Sloinnte na hÉireann, which states that the surname Winters is numerous in Counties Armagh, Down, Monaghan, and Tyrone. In The Surnames of Ireland, 6th ed. (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1985), Edward MacLysaght states that in County Tyrone, Winters is used as a synonym of MacAlivery (Mac Giolla Gheimhridh).

My known Winters ancestors are:

2nd-great-grandmother: Catherine Elizabeth Winters
born 12 November 1861, Tonawanda, Erie County, New York
married James Graham (my 2nd-great-grandfather)
married James Mapplebeck 20 November 1885, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
died 4 March 1942, St. Louis, Missouri

3rd-great-grandfather: John Bennet Winters
born 19 December 1831, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
married Anna Walker (my 3rd-great-grandmother) 10 October 1859, Tonawanda, Erie County, New York
married Elizabeth Buise 18 May 1878, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
died 25 December 1879, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

4th-great-grandfather: Hugh Winters
born about 1810, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland
married Mary Bennet (my 4th-great-grandmother) 24 January 1831, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
married Eliza
died 7 February 1887, Flatbush, Kings County, New York

Surname Saturday: Boe

My mother's maiden name, Boe, comes from the name of the farm that my ancestors lived on in Bø, Telemark, Norway.

One very frustrating thing about searching for the surname Boe is that when I search the Internet, I get many results that are about the Board of Education!

My ancestors who used Boe as a surname are:

My mother

Grandfather: John Boe
born 28 April 1908, St. Louis, Missouri
married Margaret Ann Schneider 25 September 1939, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana
died 24 November 1977, New York, New York

Great-grandfather: John Boe
born 15 March 1876, Swift Co. Missouri
married Signe Olson 21 March 1897, Swift Co., Minnesota
married Kathleen Graham (my great-grandmother)
married Anna Mae Gamble 22 August 1934, St. Joseph Co., Indiana
died 27 June 1940, Norwalk, Los Angeles Co., California

2nd-great-grandfather: Jorgen Jorgensen Boe
born 18 November 1850, Bø, Telemark, Norway
married Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt 17 December 1873, Rock Dell, Olmstead Co., Minnesota
died 17 December 1900, West Bank, Swift Co., Minnesota

3rd-great-grandfather: Jorgen Pedersen Boe
born 13 February 1820, Bø, Telemark, Norway
married Ingeborg Torsdatter Vatner 13 June 1848, Bø, Telemark, Norway
died 30 July 1902, Swenoda, Swift Co., Minnesota

Earlier ancestors used Bø as a farm name, but it was not a true surname. Names stayed with the farms, not the families. If a family moved to another farm, they would be known by that farm name.

Surname Saturday: Graham

According to the Internet Surname Database, the surname Graham comes from the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England. It was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. When Sir William de Graham traveled to Scotland with King David I, he founded Clan Graham.

My known Graham ancestors are:

Great-grandmother: Kathleen Graham
born 31 October 1879, probably in Quebec, Canada, but possibly in Chicago, Illinois
married John Boe
died 17 November 1967, Brentwood, St. Louis County, Missouri

2nd-great-grandfather: James Graham
born about 1854 in the United States
married Catherine Elizabeth Winters

Surname Saturday: Nevins

According to the Internet Surname Database, the surname Nevins is of Gaelic origin and is found in both Scotland and Ireland. Variant forms of the name are Nevin, Niven, McNiven, McNevin, and Nevinson. The surname may originate from the Gaelic personal name Naoimhin ("little saint"). It could also come from the name MacCnaimhin. Cnahm means "bone."

My 3rd-great-grandmother Mary Nevins was born in Ireland about 1835-1837. She married William Dow Gatlin in Davidson County, Tennessee on 3 January 1855. Mary died on 9 September 1888. I have not yet been able to find out more about her ancestry.

Surname Saturday: Tarkington

According to 4crests.com, the surname Tarkington is an ancient English locational name which means "one who came from Torkington in Cheshire." It is also spelled Torkington and Turkington.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames confirms the information about the surnames Torkington and Turkington, and mentions another variant form, Talkington.

Ancestry.com. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames : With Special American Instances. London: H. Frowde, 1901. Page 759. 

My proven Tarkington ancestors are:

Anna Gertrude Tarkington
born 16 April 1889, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
married Henry Brown Gatlin 19 November 1909, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
married Walter Enloe Davis
died 9 July 1959, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York

James William Tarkington
born 28 May 1850, Tennessee
married Anna Malvina Binkley 30 November 1880, Davidson County, Tennessee
died 12 June 1894, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

Joseph Tarkington
born 8 November 1830, Tennessee
married Amanda Russell 12 June 1849, Davidson County, Tennessee
died 19 April 1903, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

I suspect that Joseph was the son of Joseph S. Tarkington and Amelia Owens (or Owings or Owen), but Joseph S. Tarkington's statement on his Southern Claims Commission application that his only children were a daughter that died in infancy and a son who died in the Mexican War make it difficult to prove. (Joseph S. did not raise his son(s) and may have thought that his claim would not be approved if he admitted to having a son who was in the Confederate army.) If I am right, I descend from two Tarkington lines: Amelia's mother was Nancy Tarkington, the daughter of William Tarkington.

Surname Saturday: Dyer

According to Irish Ancestors' Surname History, the surname Dyer is an anglicized version of Ó Duibhir (grandson of the dark brown [man]) or Mac Duibhir (son of the dark brown [man]). This variant is found in counties Sligo and Roscommon.

Irish Ancestors also includes information from the surname dictionary Sloinnte na hÉireann. According to this dictionary, the surname Dyer is found in county Mayo, Belfast, and scattered other areas. Dyer is an English occupational name. It is also a form of the Irish name Mac Duibhir, and is also found as MacDyer.

My known Dyer ancestors are:

2nd-great-grandmother: Sarah Claire "Sadie" Dyer
born 8 October 1863, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennesssee
married John William Morton Gatlin 26 June 1881, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
died 20 January 1945, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois

3rd-great-grandfather: Michael Dyer
born about 1829, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
married Mary
died 3 June 1870, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee

Surname Saturday: Gatlin

According to the Internet Surname Database, my surname, Gatlin, is of Anglo-Saxon origin. The site states that the surname is "a nickname for a fellow, companion or for a wandering man, from the Olde English gaedeling, Old High German gateling, a cousin, companion." The first record of the surname is from the 13th century: Geoffrey Gatelin and Johanna Gatelyn were recorded on the Hundred Rolls of Wiltshire in 1273.

My known Gatlin ancestors are:

My father

Grandfather: Henry Cornelius Gatlin
born 14 April 1910, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois
married Helen Martha Marie Anderson 20 June 1939, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois
died 29 December 2001, Ridgewood, Bergen Co., New Jersey

Great-grandfather: Henry Brown Gatlin
born 28 June 1884, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
married Rose Kuenninger 5 December 1905, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois
married Anna Gertrude Tarkington (my great-grandmother) 19 November 1909, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
married Louise Elliott
died 28 February 1954, Elgin, Kane Co., Illinois

2nd-great-grandfather: John William Morton Gatlin
born 23 October 1859, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
married Sarah Claire Dyer 26 June 1881, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee
died 3 April 1933, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois

3rd-great-grandfather: William Dow Gatlin
born 19 April 1827, Davidson Co., Tennessee
married Mary Nevins 3 January 1855, Davidson Co., Tennessee
died 4 March 1911, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee

4th-great-grandfather: John McNairy Gatlin
born 22 December 1803, Davidson Co., Tennessee
married Margaret Gower 22 February 1826, Davidson County, Tennessee
died 3 September 1852, Davidson Co., Tennessee

5th-great-grandfather: Nathan Gatlin
born 30 January 1782, Dobbs Co., North Carolina
married Obedience Lucas  16 February 1803, Davidson Co., Tennessee
died 8 March 1855, Davidson Do., Tennessee

6th-great-grandfather: Lazarus Gatlin
born about 1740, Craven Co., North Carolina
married Elizabeth (probably my 6th-great-grandmother)
married Alice, widow of John Vendrick 18 April 1793, Craven Co., North Carolina
married Sarah
died July 1808, Davidson Co., Tennessee

Surname Saturday: Gersbacher, Gerspacher, Gerspach

The maps below show the absolute distribution and relative distribution (considering population density) of the surname variants Gersbacher, Gerspacher, and Gerspach in Germany. They were created using Christoph Stöpel's Geogen 3.0 surname mapping site, which uses data from German telephone directories.Geogen 4.0 is the latest version.

Absolute distribution (Gersbacher)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gersbacher&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution (Gersbacher)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gersbacher&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

 The maps show the highest concentration of the surname in Landkreis Lörrach.

Absolute distribution (Gerspacher)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gerspacher&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution (Gerspacher)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gerspacher&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

The maps show the highest concentration of the surname in Landkreis Lörrach. The next highest concentration of the surname is in Landkreis Waldshut.

Absolute distribution (Gerspach)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gerspach&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution (Gerspach)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Gerspach&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

The maps show the highest concentration of the surname in Landkreis Waldshut. The next highest concentration of the surname is in Landkreis Lörrach.

These maps helped me to pinpoint the area of Baden that my Gersbacher/Gerspacher ancestors came from. I suspected that they were from Landkreis Lörrach or Landkreis Waldshut. When I identified the location, it turned out to be in Landkreis Waldshut.

My known Gersbacher/Gerspacher/Gerspach ancestors are:

great-grandmother: Paulina Gersbacher/Pauline Gerspacher
born 13 August 1876, Niederwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany.
married John (Johann) Schneider  23 July 1902, St. Louis, Missouri
died 1 December 1966, St. Louis, Missouri

2nd-great-grandfather: John Gersbacher/Johann Gerspacher
born 2 September 1843, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married Kunigunde Dreier (my 2nd-great-grandmother) 16 February 1871
married Theresa Vollmer 26 March 1900, Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois
died 8 February 1914, St. Louis, Missouri

3rd-great-grandfather: Fridolin Gerspacher
born 13 July 1809, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married Maria Bär 14 November 1839, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
died 23 February 1865, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany

4th-great-grandfather: Johann Gerspacher
born 29 October 1766, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married Magdelena Bär (my 4th-great-grandmother) 25 October 1796, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married Theresia Wassmer 27 November 1809, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
died 10 January 1841, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Fridolin Gerspacher
born 28 May 1739, Strittmatt, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married  Catharina Adler 13 January 1766, Görwihl, Waldshut, Baden, Germany

6th-great-grandfather: Joseph Gerspach
born 21 June 1701, Strittmatt, Waldshut, Baden, Germany
married Clara Schlageter 15 August 1734

7th-great-grandfather: Fridolin Gerspach
married Anna Schupp
died 23 May 1744, Strittmatt, Waldshut, Baden, Germany

Surname Saturday: Lindlohr

The maps below show the absolute distribution and relative distribution (considering population density) of the surname Lindlohr in Germany. They were created using Christoph Stöpel's Geogen 3.0 surname mapping site. A newer version, Geogen 4.0, is now available. Both versions use data from German telephone directories.

Absolute distribution 

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Lindlohr&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution 

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Lindlohr&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

The maps show the highest concentration of the surname in Landkreis Neuwied. The next highest concentration is in Landkreis Ahrweiler, which is across the Rhine River.

My known Lindlohr ancestors are:

3rd-great-grandmother: Anna Sibylle Lindlohr
born 20 December 1823, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Heinrich Josef Hellmann 24 June 1845, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Johann Wilhelm Schneider (my 3rd-great-grandfather) 20 April 1853, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
died 2 April 1862,  Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

4th-great-grandfather: Gottfried Lindlohr
born 7 February 1791, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Agathe Weiler
died 13 June 1841, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Johann Lindlohr
baptized  19 January 1760, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Anna Adelheid Wintzen 12 November 1782, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
died 3 February 1814, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

6th-great-grandfather: Hermann Lindlohr
married Anna Maria Classen 31 May 1746, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
married Anna Margarete Brandenburg (my 6th-great-grandmother) 1 May 1758, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
buried 24 June 1760, Erpel, Neuwied, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Surname Saturday: Außem, Aussem

According to Dictionary of German Names (2nd ed.) by Hans Bahlow (Madison, WI: Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies, 2002), Außem (or, written without using the eszett, Aussem) is a Lower Rhine name. The definition reads "doc. [documented] Olveshem, from river n. Olve, like Muleshem, Polsehem, Soreshem."

Christoph Stöpel's Geogen surname mapping site shows the distribution of the surname in Germany. Stöpel's data comes from German telephone directories. Both the absolute distribution and the relative distribution (considering population density) are shown. The maps below were created using Geogen 3.0. Geogen 4.0 is the latest version.

Absolute distribution (Außem)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Au%C3%9Fem&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Absolute distribution (Aussem)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Aussem&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=abs

Relative distribution (Außem)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Au%C3%9Fem&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

Relative distribution (Aussem)

©Christoph Stöpel. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DE (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/de/deed.en). http://legacy.stoepel.net/de/MapGateway.aspx?name=Aussem&target=DE&renderer=EN_US&mode=rel

All four distribution maps show the highest concentration of the surname in Rhein-Erft Kreis.

My known Außem ancestors are:

3rd-great-grandmother: Anna Maria Außem
born 18 October 1815, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Wilhelm Esser 1 February 1837, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Johann Nagel (my 3rd-great-grandfather)  31 August 1838, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 8 September 1861, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

4th-great-grandfather: Mathias Außem
baptized 9 July 1782, Dirmerzheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Gertrud Fernings 5 November 1805, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
married Theresia Erp (my 4th-great-grandmother; also known as Theresia Erles) 24 April 1811, Hürth, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
died 14 August 1866, Kendenich, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

5th-great-grandfather: Heinrich Außem; married Anna Maria Nonn. They may be the couple who married on 26 February 1767 in Dirmerzheim, Rhein-Erft, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany