Our ancestors emigrated from the Province of Westphalia and surrounding areas. "Westphalia" has been around for hundreds of years, with roots going back further. Boundaries have shifted, along with rulers. For a brief explanation, see how Wikipedia summarizes it. North Rhine-Westphalia is the modern state, created in 1946.

With many changes to this part of Europe, it's not always easy finding the little towns of our ancestors, but using the region or province listed on the chart with this map, it's easier to get a closer idea.

  • 1815-1946 Province of Westphalia synopsis
  • 1806-1918 Grand Duchy of Baden synopsis
  • Alsace, now in France, has ties to Germany
  • The Rhineland isn't shaded on this map, but it is included as part of southwestern Westphalia and labeled Rhenish Prussia.
  • The Saarland isn't specifically shown on this map, but it is in the southwestern part of the Rhineland, close to Luxembourg and near the Mossel River.
Picture
The Unification of Germany 1815-1871 Click to enlarge. Source: www.zonu.com
  • The Eifel region is also not shown on this map. It stretches approximately from the city of Aechen south to the Mossel River, and its eastern border is the Rhine River. The Eifel region is in the Rhineland (Rhenish Prussia). The towns some of our ancestors came from are found south of the city Cologne.


This is Father Kopp's list. It can be found in the book Westphalia Area History, 1836-1976: 140 Years of Growth. It's been color coded by area to better show which families came from similar regions.
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