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FormatJournal Article
Author, AnalyticDirksen, Theresa
Title, AnalyticThe Importance of German Farm Names: A Case Study
Journal TitleGermanic Genealogy Journal
Date of PublicationSpring 2009
Volume ID12
Issue ID1
Location in Work12-14, ill.
Language or Document TypeEnglish
ISSN1548-3150
AbstractFarm names in Germany were often retained unchanged; "the farm and its name were so important that if a man married the heiress to a farm, he dropped his surname in favor of his wife's surname, that is, the farm's name." This article brings this custom to light by examining the search for an immigrant ancestor's village of origin, as well as the location of settlement in the U.S. the immigrant's name was George Eganhouse [Eggenhaus/Eggenhues]. The author discovered the town of origin to be Ennigeloh, in Westphalia. One of the ancestors there had, upon marrying an heiress to a farm, taken her name: Osthockelmann. Searching passenger indexes for this surname revealed the immigrant Gerhard Osthockelmann, who had arrived in New Orleans in 1847 and had purchased land in Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa.
Call NumberMKI Periodicals
MKI TermsFamily History/ Genealogy/ Eganhouse/ Westphalia/ Osthockelmann