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Family history Family history
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Very little is currently known regarding
my Attig family line other that probably originated
in the Hessen area of Germany. My 7th great-grandmother Anna Margaretha Attig lived during the 18th century. She married Johan Stephan Abel most and likely lived her
entire life in Germany.
Although not proven Anna could be the daughter of Johann Adam Attig, born
1677 at Balzenbach,
Hessen, Germany. As such she could
also be the sister of Johann Peter Attig born 1705 who migrated to America in 1736. |
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Origins of the
surname
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An Introduction to the
Surname
The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11th century. Surnames were first utilized in the Germanic region of central Europe during the second half of the 12th century.
The custom of taking on surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northward during
the Middle Ages. It took about three hundred years for this
tradition to apply to most families and become constant part of one’s
identity. With the passing
of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the
original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are
familiar with today. Over the
centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an
unchangeable part of their lives. Thus
people rarely changed their surname.
Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary
act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in
transcription. Research into the record of this Attig family line indicates that the
variations, meanings and history of this surname is most likely linked to
that area of Europe where German
linguistic traditions are commonly found. |
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Source
and Meaning of the Surname
German surnames, as means of conveying lineage, were
developed from four major sources: (1) Patronymic & Matronymic surnames common in northern Germany are based on a
parent’s first name, such as Niklas Albrecht (Niklas son of Albrecht); (2) occupational surnames are last names based on the person’s job or trade
for example Lukas Fischer (Lukas the
Fisherman); (3) descriptive surnames are based on a unique quality or physical
feature of the individual like Karl Braun (Karl with brown hair); (4) geographical
surnames are derived
from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family
lived such as Leon Meer (Leon from by
the sea), or derived from the state, region, or village of the first
bearer's origin for example Paul Cullen (Paul
from Koeln/Cologne). Attig is
a German surname from a short form of a Germanic personal name formed with
Old High German adal ‘noble’. It is
comparable to the similar surname Addicks which has origins as a
Dutch, Frisian, and North German patronymic name from Addicke,
a pet form of any of several Germanic personal names formed with the element ad(al) ‘noble’. |
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History
of the Surname
The German surname Attig, and its variant
spellings, have traveled widely in
many forms throughout Europe. Most
persons with this surname emigrated from Germany most noticeably from the
western provinces such as Baden-Wurttemberg and Hesse-Darmstadt. Attig is a very early Germanic personal surname is one of the very
first recorded in that country. The Attig name does tend to be
confused with the English
versions, such as Addicks, and particularly so in the United States
where immigration from both countries was at its height in the 18th century. In any case the name from both countries is
often in the same spelling, which is perhaps not surprising as they share
similar pre 7th
century "Anglo-Saxon"
roots. |
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Early
Immigrants to North America
During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries hundreds of thousands
of Europeans made the
perilous ocean voyage to North America. For many it was an escape from economic
hardship and religious persecution.
For most it was an opportunity for to start over, own their own land,
and make a better future for their descendents. Immigration records show a number of people
bearing the name of Attig, or one of
its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17th and 20th
centuries. Some of these immigrants
were: Philip Attig come to America in 1837 and arrived in Maryland; 33
year old Peter Attick arrived at Philadelphia in
1736; and
George Attick arrived at Philadelphia in 1843. The Attig surname appeared quite early into
the former British colonies of North America, especially William Penn’s
colony of Pennsylvania. One reason for this was that after the kings of
Hanover, Germany, also became kings of England in 1715, German emigration to
America was greatly encouraged. Many of these German immigrants, particularly
those with easy English equivalents, were encouraged and in some case
required to change to an English spelling.
Also many German surnames were re-spelled in America because of the
close relationship between the English and German
languages. In some cases Germans are
able to transform their names to the English form just by dropping a single
letter. This was the case with many sea captains or their agents who, when
making up the ships passenger lists, found it easier to use a more familiar
English spelling. After the start of World War One,
Germans in great numbers Anglicized
their names in an effort to remove all doubt as to their patriotism. |
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Use
the following links to find more early
immigrants with this surname: $ Search Ancestry.com Immigration
Records; or Free Ship’s Passenger lists at OliveTreeGenealogy.com |
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More About Surname Meanings
& Origins
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German Surnames Many
German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming
family names began early in the 12th Century and extended through
the 16th century.
All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names.
First Names (Rufnamen)
identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to
the bearer's whole family. At first
through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen)
were later fixed through writing.
Until the 17th century, first names
played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the
first name of the first bearer (Patronym).
Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the
homestead. If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were
identified by the place they came from.
Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of
profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and
the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a
living. Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic
of the first bearer. Finally, there
are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family
came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (Low German, Middle German and Upper German) is often reflected in names. |
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Variations of the surname
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Throughout the
centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand
often leading to an overwhelming number of variants. As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames
because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names
was not yet standardized. Later on
spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. Spelling
variations of this family name include:
Addicks;(English) Addic; Addickes; Attich; Attichy;(French) Attick; Attie; Attig; and many others. |
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The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may also have been misspelled. This is especially true when searching census documents. The Soundex Indexing System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname. Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research. The Soundex Code for Attig is A320. Other surnames sharing this Soundex Code: ADDIS | ADIX | ATKEY | ATTIG | AYTES | |
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Searching
for more Information about this and other surnames? |
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Then
take a look at our: |
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Family coat of arms
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In the Middle
Ages heraldry
came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to
distinguish the armored warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed
on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in
the middle of the 12th
century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries
of Western
Europe. Heraldry spread to the German burgher class
in the 13th
century, and even some peasants used arms in the 14th century. |
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Fig. 1 |
There are at no known associated armorial bearings for Attig recorded in Reitstap’s
Armorial General or Sir
Bernard Burke’s General Armory. The following additional information has
been found regarding the coats-of-arms shown at the left: Figure 1: This coat-of-arms belongs to an Addick on England possible from Staffordshire. It features a silver shield containing a
red chevron between three red crosses. No Attig family mottoes are known. It is unusual for a German
Achievement to include a motto. |
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A Coat of Arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution. Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname. A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname. Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee. The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same. The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry. Some of the more prominent elements incorporated into a coat of arms are : |
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Crest - The word crest
is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms. The crest was a later development arising from the love of
pageantry. Initially the crest
consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet. Wreath or Torse – The torse
is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a
crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture
being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on. Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above
the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield. Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield
and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet
displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles
developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets. Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms. At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object. The items appearing on the shield are known as charges. Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms. |
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Direct Ancestors
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Descendant Register Generation 1 |
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Anna Margaretha Attig-1 was
born on 24 Feb 1710 in Germany. She died on Aft. 1757 in York County,
Pennsylvania. She married Johan Stephan Abel in Germany, son of Johann Peter
Abel and Margaretha Wagner. He was born on 08 Feb
1701 in Germany. He died on Aft. 1754 in York County, Pennsylvania?. Children of Anna Margaretha
Attig and Johan Stephan Abel are: 2.
i. Johan George Abel, B: 1737 in
Germany, D: 30 Dec 1785 in Lower Windsor
Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania, M: 17 Jul 1765 in Pennsylvania ?. ii. John Abel. 3.
iii. Anna Margaretha Abel, B: Bef. 1738 in Germany, M: Abt. 1754 in
Lower Windsor Twp., York Co.,
Pennsylvania. 4.
iv. Maria Margaretha Abel, M: 17 Aug 1756 in Lower Windsor Twp.,
York Co., Pennsylvania. v.
Catherine Elisabetha Abel,
M: 25 Nov 1757 in Canadochly Ch, L. Windsor Twp.,
York, PA. vi.
Anna Christina Abel, M: 24 Feb 1756 in Canadochly Ch., L. Windsor Twp., York, PA. vii.
Anna Barbara Abel. |
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Additional information about our DIRECT
ANCESTORS as well as a complete listing of individuals
with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on the following LINK. |
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Use
this free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from
Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series
of different searches using tips or "tricks" that |
will likely improve your
results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using
Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about this or any other
Surname. |
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Ancestral
locations
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Researching the locations
where my ancestors lived has provided me with
valuable evidence needed to fill-in the gaps in my family trees. It has also led me to many interesting
facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group. The names of states and counties on the
following list were derived from the known places where the persons in the
“Direct Ancestors” list (see above) were born, married, and / or died. |
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COUNTRY |
STATE |
COUNTY / SUBDIVISION |
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GERMANY |
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Use this LINK to find out more about the locations listed above. |
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Resources which enhance our
knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as
their names. The
LINK
to the left will take you to Maps, Gazetteers, and
other helpful resources
that |
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will assist in discovering Ancestral Locations. These web sites comprise only a small
portion of what is available for researchers
interested in learning more about the areas in which their ancestors lived. |
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Source documents
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The documents contained within the “Source Documents Archives” have
been located during my research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the
facts contained within the database of this family’s record. Most of these documents can be considered as
primary or secondary evidence. Primary evidence
is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question,
usually in an original document or record.
Secondary evidence
is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary
evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there
is a greater chance of error. Examples
of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony
of a record’s contents. Published
genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence. Classifying evidence as either primary or
secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value. This is especially true of secondary
evidence. Thus it is always a good
idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is
it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason
for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was
responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they
have in its accuracy? SOURCE: You are welcome to
download any of the documents contained within this archive. Should you encounter a problem obtaining a
copy you may get in touch with us via the contact
information found at the end of this page. |
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Use the following LINK to view the source documents pertaining to this family. |
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Web resources
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This search
engine may provide you
with additional |
information to
assist with your research about this topic. |
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Your genealogy research of this surname can be facilitated by use of SURNAME WEB. This website links to the majority of the surname data on
the web, as well as to individual family trees, origin and surname meaning if
known, and many other related genealogy resources. |
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SURNAME
FINDER provides easy access to
free and commercial resources for 1,731,359 surnames. On each surname
specific "finder" page, you can search a variety of online
databases all pre-programmed with your surname. |
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Use ALL
SURNAMES GENEALOGY to get access to find your surname
resources . There are almost 1300 links in this
directory. |
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Linkpendium Surnames - Web sites,
obituaries, biographies, and other material specific to a surname. Cyndi's List - Surnames, Family
Associations & Family Newsletters Index - Sites or resources
dedicated to specific, individual family surnames. Free Genealogy Search Help for Google
- This free genealogy site will help you use
Google™ for your research. It will create a series of different searches
using tips or "tricks" that will likely improve your results. The
different searches will give you many different ways of using Google to find
ancestry information on the Internet. FamilySearch.org - Family History and Genealogy Records - The largest collection of free family history, family
tree and genealogy records in the world. Top Genealogical Websites - These mighty roots resources compiled by “Family Tree
Magazine”, will give you the power to bust through research brick walls and
find answers about your ancestors—all from your home computer. SurnameDB Free database of surname meanings - This site SurnameDB.Com contains a large FREE to access
database (almost 50,000 surnames) on the history and meaning of family last
names. |
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The
following Link
will take you to our library of genealogy reference books. Here you will find bibliographies, family histories and books about names. In addition, there are texts that pertain
to ethnic
and religion groups, history, geography as well as other books
that will assist you with your research. Research
Library – Table of Contents |
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Images
gallery
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During my research I have collected images
and photographs that are of general interest to a particular family. Some of them are presented on this website
because I believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information
which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives. If you have any
photographs or other images relating to this ancestral family we would greatly
appreciate hearing from you. |
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Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we
have any images that pertain to this family. |
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Free Image Search Help from Google |
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Use the power of
Google™ to find more interesting images about this topic. A Click on this
button will link you to the Google Images Search page. |
Enter the topic you are
searching in the box and click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display
page you will see the image, as well as the website of which it is
associated. |
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Snail Mail: Fred USA |
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Snail
Mail: Fred USA |
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