[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Barons & Baronettes

[Lloyd Friedrick]

Some old letters from my Volhynian relatives refer to our great great grandfather Gottlieb Thrun was known as Baron von Thrun.

A reference in the Odessa site does list him as an landowner near Stettin in old Pomerania.

My view is that the title Baron in the late 1700 - early 1800 simply expressed the fact that the person was a freeholder of land rather than a member of the Aristocracy of the day.
Many of the younger members of my family of being descendents of the title and their desire to be descended from Royalty.
I would like to advise them of lesser expectations from this simple reference in our heritage.

Would others on this listserve help me with this issue of explaining a Baron to my young generation. 

lloyd friedrick in Victoria