Becker/Beckher Heraldry And Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
Becker/Beckher Heraldry And Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
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Becker/Beckher Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective; by Frederick George Siler; 2020; 260 pp; 8.5x11; paperback; ISBN: 978-1-62859-282-5; Item #: FR0704.

This volume deals with the Germanic heraldry of families whose name was one of the most common in Germany - that of Becker.

Variations of the Becker/Becher Surname

Ever since the late middle ages, surnames in every European country have continued to spread out and develop into a significant number of variant spellings. This phenomenon is due mainly to the fact that the spelling of names in early times, as well as spelling in general, was not yet standardized. Later on, spellings would also change with the branching and movement of families. The complexity of researching historical records is compounded by the reality that, in many cases, an ancestor's surname may have been misspelled. Since the first use of the Becker surname in northwestern Germany and parts of the Low Countries, the name and its variant spellings had quickly spread throughout the rest of Germany, Denmark, and the Scandanavian countries of Europe. In English and other European languages, such as Dutch, Yiddish, and Danish, the name is also spelled many ways. (1) List of Becker spelling variations: As the Becker surname has become widespread, not only in Germany but throughout Europe, many different spellings of the name have arisen over the centuries. The following variant spellings were investigated during the preparation of this book: Bacher, Backer, Bäcker Beccher, Becher, Bechler, Becker, Beckker, Becquer, Bekker Bicker, Brecher, Bricker, Bucher, Decker, Ecker, Kocher, Necker, Packer, Päcker, Pecher, Recher, and Secker.

The following is from the Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 - Synthesizing Heraldry and Genealogy for a Practical Research Tool

  • What is Heraldry?
  • Common aspects of Genealogy
  • Heraldry and the family historian
  • Geography as a fundamental tool for integrating heraldry and genealogy
  • Associating a coat-of-arms with your ancestor

CHAPTER 2 - A Brief Introduction to German Heraldry

  • Historical Background of Germanic Heraldry
  • Components of the Germanic Coat-of-Arms
  • Modern German Heraldry

CHAPTER 3 - Heraldic Symbolism

  • Introduction to heraldic symbolism
  • Symbolism of the colors, furs, lines, divisions, and ordinaries
  • Symbolism of the common charges

CHAPTER 4 - An Introduction to the Becker Surname

  • Origins and meanings of the name
  • Variations of the Becker surname.
  • Location and distribution of the surname
  • Some historical documentations of Becker

CHAPTER 5 - Becker Armorial Bearings: Defining the Elements

  • Introduction to the geographical territory
  • Bearer(s) of the coat-of-arms
  • Particular geographical locale(s) associated with the bearer(s)
  • Description of the coat-of-arms
  • Interpreting the coat-of-arms
  • Other Bauer arms bearers of this geographical territory
  • Additional geographical and genealogical resources

CHAPTER 6 - Becker Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective

  • Bavaria
  • Belgium
  • Brandenburg
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Hamburg
  • Hesse
  • Hungary
  • Latvia
  • Lower Austria
  • Lower Saxony
  • Luxemburg
  • Netherlands
  • North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Rhineland-Palatinate
  • Saarland
  • Saxony
  • Saxony-Anhalt
  • Schleswig-Holstein
  • Silesia
  • Slovakia
  • Styria
  • Switzerland
  • Thuringia
  • Tyrol
  • Vorarlberg
  • West Prussia

CHAPTER 7 - Interpreting the Heraldry of Becker

  • Charges associated with the meaning of the surname
  • Recognizing different branches of a family in Germanic armory.
  • Discerning marital unions, inheritance or other similar family relationships.
  • Evolution of the family coat-of-arms
  • Heraldic elements that address an honor or notable accomplishment.
  • Ancient house or family marks.
  • Armorial achievements that convey a military theme.
  • Charges that could represent a specific characteristic of the bearer.
  • Coats-of-arms displaying symbols of the bearer’s religious faith.
  • Charges that may identify early family occupations, traditions or events.
  • Curious and uncommon charges.

APPENDIX A - Gallery of Becker Coats-of-Arms

APPENDIX B - Glossary of Heraldic Symbolism

APPENDIX C - A Glossary of Special Terminology

APPENDIX D - Online Genealogy Research by Location

APPENDIX E: A Guide to Additional Resources

INDEX: Historical and Modern Geographical Locales