My Paternal

 

zeiter

 

Family Ancestors

Family History

Origins of the Surname

Variations of the Surname

Armorial Bearings

 & Motto(es)

Ancestral Lineage

Ancestral Locations

Source Documents

Web Resources

Family Images Gallery

 

 

Family history

Family history

zeiter

Family History

 

 

     My 10th great-grandfather Jacob Zeiter, born 1613, lived his entire life in the community of Staffort, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.  Staffort is an old German village located between Karlsruhe and Bruchsal.  Since 1975 the village is part of the town Stutensee.   Around the year 1645 he married to a Martha whose maiden surname is not known.  Jacob and Martha produced at least four children, all daughters, between 1647 and 1658.  Jacob, at the age of 60 years, passed away at Staffort in 1674. 

     My Zeiter family line continued through Anna Catharina Maria Zeiter, daughter of Jacob and Martha Zeiter.  She was born at Staffort about 1658.   In 1679 she married Johann Jost Stober, also a native of Staffort.   Anna Catharina Maria and Johann Jost created a family of at least 9 known off-spring between 1680 and 1691.  Anna was only 34 years of age when she passed away in 1696.  It appears that she died as a result of the birth of here last child who was born about one month prior to her death.   It is their son Hans Peter Stober, born 1683, through whom my lineage continues.

 

Origins of the surname

zeiter

Origins of the Surname

 

·       An Introduction to the Name

·       Meaning of the Name

·       History of the Name

·                           Early Immigrants to North America

·                           More About Surname Meanings & Origins

 

An Introduction to the Name 

    The practice of adopting hereditary surnames began in the southern areas of Germany during the second half of the 12th century, and gradually spread northwards during the Middle Ages.  With the passing of generations and the movement of families moved 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 Zeiter 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. 

 

Meaning of the Name

     Most modern family names throughout Europe originated from with of the following circumstances: occupation (i.e., Carpenter, Cooper, Brewer, Mason); locational (Middleton, Sidney, or Ireland) or topographical (i.e. Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale); nicknames (i.e., Moody Freeholder, Wise, Armstrong); status (i.e. Freeman, Bond, Knight); and acquired ornamental names that were simply made up.

     The Zeiter surname is perhaps an altered spelling of German word Seiter, reflecting the German pronunciation of the initial s.  Seiter is a Swabian German occupational name for a cobbler.  Sauter  is the German occupational name for a shoemaker or cobbler (one who sews leather) which originated from the  Middle High German word suter that came from the Latin word sutor which is an agent derivative of suere ‘to sew’.   The English variant of Sauter is Salter.   Sauter is also a Dutch occupational name for a producer or seller of salt, from an agent derivative of zout ‘salt’.

 

History of the Name

The first hereditary surnames on German soil are found in the second half of the 12th century, slightly later than in England and France.  However, it was not until the 16th century that they became stabilized. The practice of adopting hereditary surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northwards during the Middle Ages. The German surname Zeiter, and its variant spellings, have traveled widely in many forms throughout Europe.  The Zeidler (Zeiter) name was first found in Bohemia, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of this region from ancient times.  The Zeiter name does tend to be confused with the English versions, 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. 

 

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 Zeiter, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17th and 20th centuries.  Some of these immigrants were:  G. Carl Zeidler, who came to Philadelphia in 1808; as well as William Zeidler in 1861; Barbara Zeidler came to Texas at the age of 20 in 1849. Jacob Zeitler arrived in Philadelphia in 1752.

     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.   After the start of the first World War, Germans in great numbers Anglicized their names in an effort to remove all doubt as to their patriotism. 

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

 

More About Surname Meanings & Origins

German Surnames

 Many German names have their roots in the Germanic middle ages. The process of forming family names began around the year 1100 and extended through 1600. 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.

Variations of the surname

zeiter

 

Variations of
the Surname

 

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: Seiter, Sauter, Zeidler, Zeister, Zeidller, Zeideler, Zeitler (Austria), Zeidlerr and many others.

 

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 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 Zeiter is Z360.  There are no other surnames sharing this Soundex Code.  The Soundex Code for Zeitler is Z346.  Other surnames sharing this Soundex Code: ZEIDLER |  ZEITLER |  ZETTLER |

 

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Then take a look at our:

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zeiter

Family coat of arms

Armorial Bearings & Motto(es)

 

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.

Fig. 1

 

Fig. 2

 

Fig. 3

 

Although neither Zeiter nor Seiter is found in Reitstap’s Armorial General there are seven (7) descriptions of armorial bearings for the variant surname Zeidler. The following information has been found regarding the coats-of-arms shown at the left:  Figure 1 - Arms granted to a Zeidler of Berbydorf, Saxony in 1617; Figure 2 - This coat-of-arms was presented to a Zeidler of Bavaria.  The arms feature a shield tierced red and gold with two silver fleurs-de-lis in chief, and a bear in base. The crest is made up of: Four plumes, of red, silver, black, and gold; and Figure 3 - The arms may have belonged to a Seiter who was Jewish.  It shows a black shield with a black fleur-de-lis on a gold fesse, between three gold six pointed stars.

     No family mottoes are known for Zeiter or any of its variant spelling. It is unusual for a German Achievement to include a motto.

* Reitstap, J.B., Armorial General, Volume II, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland, 1965,

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 :

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 TorseThe 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.

Direct Ancestors

zeiter

Ancestral Lineage

 

Descendant Register

Generation 1

Jacob Zeiter-1 was born on Oct 1613 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. He died on 14 Apr 1674 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. He married Martha Zeiter (nee?) on Abt. 1645 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. She was born on 1612 in (of) Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. She died on 02 Feb 1690 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

Children of Jacob Zeiter and Martha Zeiter (nee?) are:

 

                       Euphrosina Zeiter, B: 1647 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany,

 

         24 Aug 1676 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, M: 02 Nov 1669 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

 

                       Anna Catharina Zeiter, B: Abt. 1649 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, M: 07 Jun 1670 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

 

                       Catharina Agatha Zeiter, B: 1654 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg,  Germany, D: 10 Feb 1692 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany,

M:09 Dec 1673 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

 

2.                  iv.      Anna Catharina Maria Zeiter, B: 1658 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg,  Germany, D: 31 Jan 1692 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany,

 

M:04 Mar 1679 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

Generation 2

Anna Catharina Maria Zeiter-2(Jacob Zeiter-1) was born on 1658 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. She died on 31 Jan 1692 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. She married Johann Jost Stober on 04 Mar 1679 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. He was born on 1639 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. He died on 10 Dec 1696 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

Children of Anna Catharina Maria Zeiter and Johann Jost Stober are:

 

i.                   Johann Martin Stober, B: 08 Jan 1680 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 10 Sep 1689 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

ii.                 Hanß Georg Stober, B: 29 Nov 1680 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 12 Dec 1680 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

iii.               Hanß Georg Stober, B: 09 Nov 1681 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 31 Mar 1689 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

iv.               Hans Peter Stober, B: 22 Sep 1683 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg,  Germany, D: 11 Aug 1759 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany,  M: 25 Oct 1707 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

 

v.                 Anna Sibylla Stober, B: 11 Apr 1685 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 19 Aug 1685 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

vi.               Stillborn Stober, B: 12 Jan 1687 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 12 Jan 1687 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

vii.             Anna Sibylla Stober, B: 04 Dec 1687 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, D: 10 Dec 1696 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

viii.          Anna Catharina Stober, B: 06 Nov 1691 in Staffort, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

 

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.

DKPS Surname Locator

Free Genealogy Surname Search Help from Google

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. 

Ancestral locations

zeiter

 

Ancestral
Locations

 

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.

COUNTRY

STATE

COUNTY / SUBDIVISION

GERMANY

Baden-Wurttemberg

Staffort

 

Use this LINK to find out more about the locations listed above.

ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS

 

Where in the World

are My Ancestors?

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

MAPS

GAZETTEERS

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.

Source documents

zeiter

 

Source
Documents

The documents and headstones 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:  Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2nd edition, Genealogical Publishing  Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

 

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.

Use the following LINK to view the source documents pertaining to this family.

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

Web resources

zeiter

 

Web Resources

 

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General Surname Resources

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. 

 

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.

 

Use ALL SURNAMES GENEALOGY to get access to find your surname resources .  There are almost 1300 links in this directory.

 

Additional Sites That We Recommend

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.

 

OUR GENEALOGY REFERENCE LIBRARY

 

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

 

Images gallery

zeiter

Family Images
Gallery

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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FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

 

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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.

Contact Information

 

Email

Snail Mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA

Email

Snail Mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA