Bossong
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Bossong (Ger: Boßong) is a surname common to Rhineland-Palatinate (Ger: Rheinland-Pfalz; Fr: Le Rhénanie-Palatinat ) in Germany (Ger: Deutschland; Fr: l'Allemagne) and Alsace (Ger: Elsaß; Fr: l'Alsace) in France.
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[edit] Surname History
The earliest known Bossongs resided in the Habsburgs Low Countries (likely the duchy of Luxembourg of the Seventeen Provinces). Escaping the Spanish invasion during the Thirty Years' War, they migrated to a small city that was located in the (at that point in time) neutral principality of Pfalz-Zweibrücken. In 1635, they escaped again from imperial troops choosing Annweiler and Bischweiler in Alsace that both belonged to Pfalz-Zweibrücken. They also escaped to Hanau on the river Main and apparently also to Malmedy.
For the past several hundred years, Bossongs have been common in and around the town of Kaiserslautern in the Rhineland-Palatinate including Bruchmühlbach-Miesau, Gorweiler, Lambrecht, Landstuhl, Otterbach, Otterberg, Ramstein, Schallodenbach, Schneckenhausen (formerly Schneckenhoff) and Steidelbach. The earliest known cited Bossong in the Kaiserslautern area was Aegidius Bossong, who was born approximately 1642 and died in 1705.
[edit] Cultural origins
It's impossible to determine the exact "nationality" of the Bossong surname since they came from a traditionally war-ravaged area of central Europe. First, one must consider the region of its origin - Palatinate and Alsace. These areas are traditionally of German influence but not void of French weight. Secondly however, the name, particularly earlier variations of it, appear French. Thirdly, the French Republic has roots with the Franks, a confederation of Germanic tribes, dating back over 1500 years --- although clumping all the Germanic tribes together as a single people is not fair.
Ultimately, the Bossong ancestors have Germanic and French roots. In Europe, the name can be found in several countries from the western and southern parts of the former Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation - Germany, France, Netherlands, and Italy.
Although most of the Bossongs found in Schallodenbach and surrounding farm villages were Catholic, some early church records suggest that Calvinist Bossongs lived in Heiligenmoschel.[1]
[edit] Various Spellings
It is thought that the oldest carrier of the name is Matthieu Bodecon of Odenwald in the mid-16th century. The spelling of the name changed over the years. In somewhat chronological order: Bodecon, Boudosson, Baudeson, Baudisson. Current spellings include Botzon, Bosson, Bossong, Bossung, Bossing, Boshung, and Bobung. This last spelling is likely a result of translating the eszett (ß) as the letter B.
[edit] Meaning of Name*
Bossong Variant of French Bosson, found mainly in Alsace.
Bosson French and Dutch: from Bosson, a patronymic from the Germanic personal name Boso (see Boos).
Boos Dutch and German: from a Germanic personal name, Boso, most probably from an element meaning 'leader', 'nobleman', or 'arrogant person'.
* Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
[edit] Immigration to the United States
Along with about 1.2 million other Germans, many Bossongs emigrated from Europe in the late 19th century while war ravaged central Europe. The most popular immigration to the United States for the Germans was the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Today, various spellings of the name are most common in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky.
[edit] Genealogy
Genealogy has become a popular hobby for many people. There are many kinds of software researchers use to track their information.
[edit] References
- ^ Kirchenbuch, 1683-1961, Katholische Kirche Schallodenbach (BA. Kaiserslautern), Tote 1705-1778, 1801-1918 Konfirmation 1856-1917 Tote 1919-1961, FHL INTL Film 500158
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