Bismark History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Bismark

What does the name Bismark mean?

The Bismark surname is thought to derived from a place named Bismarck, in Altmark. Derived from "Biscopes" the name referred to the border region around a bishopric In the Holy Roman Empire, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules and after the 12th century, names that were derived from localities became increasingly widespread. Local names often originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the bearer of the name was an aristocrat.

Early Origins of the Bismark family

The surname Bismark was first found in Brandenburg, where the name Bismarck 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 struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Bismark family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bismark research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1311, 1683, 1750 and 1812 are included under the topic Early Bismark History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bismark Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Bismark include Bismark, Bismarke, Bismarck, Bismarcke, Bismarch and many more.

Early Notables of the Bismark family

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

Migration of the Bismark family

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many 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 to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Bismark were members of the family who eventually arrived on the eastern seaboard of North America.