[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] "von" in name

[Peter Fischer]

Hi Susan,

Selling a title is definitely possible.  Mostly it was done for economic
reasons.  The same is true in my family.  My maternal ancestor Gottlieb von
Melsa sold his title back in the mid-nineteenth century in exchange for a
large tract of land in Masuren, East Prussia.  I imagine their were some sort
of civil records kept of the transaction; otherwise everyone could have
claimed a title.  I don't know of any but would also be interested to learn if
their were such records and what the formalities of such a transaction would
entail.

Peter Fischer
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Susan Greer<mailto:susan at greersinc.com>
  To:
ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org<mailto:ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sgge
e.org>
  Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 11:56 AM
  Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] "von" in name


  My grandpa briefly mentioned to mom once that he was related to all the
  wealthy businessmen in Lodz and they had the title von der Goltz or von
  Goltz.  But for some reason his family sold their title.  So they became
  just Goltz and supposedly the rest of the family kept the title.  She
  doesn't remember anything else and has nothing to back this up.  I have no
  time frame either.  Does this sound possible?  Were records kept of people
  selling their names or possibly their nobility?  Will I be able to research
  this and tie it in to my genealogy?



  Susan Greer

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