This document, beginning in the third century, will provide a history of the European area currently known as Germany.

This research has centered on the families whose surnames are an Anglicization of the original surname of Purfürst, which exists in Germany yet today.

The Purfürst name is a “High German” variation of the original name Burgfürst. The term “High German” applies to dialects spoken in areas of Germany south of an imaginary geographic line extending from the French border near Strasburg to the German city of Hof on The Czech Republic border.

The surname Burgfürst is known to have existed as early as the year 1321 and translates to “The First Man on The Castle”, usually a Knight serving a king or duke. For a commoner it could simply mean a man who lived at the top (the “First”) of the hill.

This document will describe the history of the areas in which the ancestors lived as well as the history behind the surname.

The German system of nobility is quite different from the English system with which most Americans are familiar.

This document will detail the German nobility concept and explain how it applies to the Purfürst surname.

Unless otherwise indicated this information was taken from actual German parish baptism, marriage or burial registers or city archive records. Most information was gathered in conjunction with the 2001 research trip outlined in the previous document.

a.k.a. - Arthur Bostwick ........................ Stratford, Connecticut.

It was in this village that records were found for whom is, thusfar, considered the earliest-born individual with the Purfürst surname.