Glossary of Family Names
      Many Family Names Have Different Spellings

        The spelling of family names varies over the years and also from place to place. Those that have seen the most changes have been selected in the study below. Some of these have been affected by the translation from German to English. In other cases, there has been change or corruption through use or deliberate action. There are some for which the editor cannot account.

        In our indices the choice of spelling is arbitrary, i.e. the common present day usage is given simply to help the reader find the family names. For instance, the name Shafer will lead to Shaefer, Shaffer, Schaeffer, etc. Then again, the names ending in "el" commonly become "le", but not always. This list is intended only to be suggestive and informative, not conclusive. And also it should be noted, some branches of familiy names changed while others did not.

            PRESENT USE

            Allshouse
            Amend
            Baker
            Bierer
            Brown
            Burkhart
            Byers
            Coffman
            Cole
            Cribbs
            Fisher
            Frelick
            Gohn
            Houser
            Jewel
            Kepple
            Kilgore
            Klingensmith
            Lohr
            Menges
            Miller
            Moore
            Otterman
            Penrod
            Rearick
            Rubert
            Rupert
            Russell
            Shafer
            Shetler
            Sisney
            Smail
            Smeltzer
            Smith
            Snyder
            Turney
            Weaver
            Yount

            CAME FROM

            Alshaus
            Variation of Ammon. Ament
            Becker
            Bier, Buhrer
            Braun
            Burckhard, etc.
            Bayer, Beyer, Bier, Bires
            Kaufman
            Kohl
            Krebs, Krepps, Crebs
            Fischer
            Froelick, var. Fraley
            Unknown
            Hauser
            Unknown
            Keppel, Kaeppel
            Gilgore
            Kingenschmidt
            Lower, Lauer, etc.
            Unknown
            Mueller, Moeller, Muhler
            Variations: More, Moor
            Odermann
            Benroth
            Roerich, Roehrig, etc.
            Corruption of Rupert
            Ruprecht
            Rossel
            Schaefer, Shaffer, Schaeffer, etc.
            Schittler
            Sisley
            Schmehl, Schmeehl, etc.
            Schmelzer, Schmelser
            Schmidt, Schmid, Schmitt
            Scheider
            Dorney, Dorny
            Weber
            Yund, Yunt, Jundt