To the left is a coat of arms for my Pape family given to me by my third cousin Ulrike when I visited her and her family in 1982 in Buren, Westphalia, Germany. It's a copy by her brother Wolfgang of "an ancient painting by H. Pape, Hamburg, 1898 in Stuttgart."My cousin translated the caption (which I also have in the original German) as follows:
This family has existed 4 centuries in Holland, Saxony, Rheinland, and Westphalia. It originally goes back to West-Friesland and was traced to Ameland at the beginning of the 15th century. The family branches spread also to Hamburg, Gotttingen and Schwerin after 1550. Coat of arms bearers were Peter Pape, 1580, businessman of Gottingen, and Willem Pape, 1612, copper engraver of Hamburg.There are a lot of Papes here in Texas, especially in the central part of the state where many German immigrants settled, but I don't believe I am related to any of them. Apparently it's a fairly common name, or else many of the Papes actually had a longer surname in the old country that was shortened to this. Most of the ones I've met pronounce the name like "poppy," while we pronounce the name like "paper" without the R sound at the end (i.e Pape rhymes with tape, gape, ape, cape, nape).
My great-grandfather, John Pape, came to the United States in 1880, and settled in Evanston, Illinois (although his descendants are now all over the country). Ulrike is supposedly the great-granddaughter of one of his brothers, who stayed in the Buren area. A family business, the Gebr. Pape Druckerei (Pape Brothers Printing), is still there, run by Ulrike's youngest brother Eberhard. I'd like to learn more about the family roots in Germany.
© Amanda Pape - 2010
Thanks for sharing the Pape Coat of Arms with us. Very nice ---and interesting bit of history.
ReplyDeleteWell Well those of who do pronounce the name Poppy stem from the Herman line as When Herman Pape first entered the US in 1889 Traveled to Bismark North Dakota Purchased a large plot of land Then returned to Germany where he remained while Teaching at Hamburg University English amoung other subjects. Herman came from a large Family with many brothers. Herman returned to the US to his homestead in 1913 with 9 children 1 of them my Grandfather Kenneth Pape who had 13 children. I had meet Herman 3 times in my childhood he died when I was 4. Many of Hermans Brother followed him to the US settling in Texas Oregon Illinois and Southern Michigan.
ReplyDeleteI'm Ken Pape oldest and first Grandson by his 3 oldest son. Herman remained most of his life in Bismark before moving into the what became known as the Pape Tree farm in Menominee Mi in the late 1930's Built by my Grandfather Ken.
I'm only second generation American.
I should add the origans of the name its self which mean Teacher, Pope,and father is in every European Nation as it was attached to those to believed to be bastard children of 7th century Popes. As the early church converted Medieval Kingdoms to the Church as was the custom in Houses to marry children from each house to bound them together The Bastard Sons were married into the house of Europe to seal the conversion.
Furth most of Europeans pronounces the name Poppy Except in the UK where the name is Pronounced Pape with a silent e. Depending on where one immigrated from and there arrival at Elis Island as well as their understanding of the language many Changed either the spelling of their name example Italians and Spanish Spell the name Pope as it is Pronounced Poppy but spelled Pope in their native language.
You mentioned Von being a main land Europe title more so then name like Sir or Lord in english. Common variations example Von Pappen od Van Pappen.
It is fair to say that if you meet someone who prounces their name Poppy then they are from the same line and immigration time line as Herman and we are all related by blood.As Herman believed the proper english pronunciation of Pape is PA PE long A long E instead of papa as it is Pronounced in Frwnce & Germantic origin's
Nice to "meet" you, Dale! I think you are right and that we are only very distantly related. Thanks for commenting!
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