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 THE ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY NAME SASSMANN

After long-time studies I concluded that the family name Sassmann originated in five different ways. It arose from:

1. the denotation of the German nation of Saxons (Saxon=Sas in Czech)
2. the multilation of a Czech family name Sazyma (Sazma)
3. the shortening of the family name Sassmannshausen (originated from a local name of a place called Sassmannshausen)
4. Jewry from Russia, England, Argentina, USA, Hungaria, Poland, Romania, Finland with surname Sassmann
5. Obscure origin

 ad 1. Mr. Gottschald in his book "Theory of German namens" writes that the name Sas or Sass was converted from Sachs (it means Saxon). In this way family names as Sasín, Sassin, Sasínek, Sása, Sassa, Sasse, Sasko, Saslík arose. Dr. Josef Beneš in his book "About Czech family names" and Dr. Hans Bahlow in the book "Lexicon of German family names" are of the same opinion.

1420 - Duderstadt (Germany, Southern Saxony): Heinrich Sasman

1668 - Stenn (Saxony): born Christian Sasman

1724 - Oegstgeest (Netherland): born Pieter Sasman

1769 - Arnherm (Netherland): born Christiaan Sasman

1750 - Oegstgeest (Netherland): married Pieter Sasman sb. Pietertje Verhoef

1702 - Stenn (Saxony): married Christian Sasman sb. Maria Gattermann

ad 2. The bearers of the name Sassmann coming from Novohradsko in South Bohemia have another interesting origin of their name. The name Sassmann arose by germanization of an old Czech family name Sazyma (or also Zezema, Sezema, Sazym, Sazima, Sazma). The cradle of this family line is the village Hrdlořezy next to the town Třeboň (South Bohemia), where a farmer called Sezema is mentioned in 1433 (!). In 1557 another man (a farmer) called Sazyma is mentioned on this farm and in 1598 a house-keeper (or farmer) Šimek SAZYMA (SAZMA). The sons of this Simon Sazma moved during the Thirty-years war (1618-1648) to Novohradsko-region, where the Earles of Buquoy (aristocracy) brought the German language to. German inhabitants and officers (clerks) read the name Sazma [Sa:zma] as a German name Sasman [Sa:zman], i.e. a Saxon man.

The Book of taxes (from 1676) from Bechyně region (South Bohemia) is a historical resource, where we can see and read the multilation of a family name Sazyma into Sasman. In this book the name of a certain farmer on each farm is written (in 1653) and then the names of next farmers on each farm.

In a village Štiptoň (Wienau) near Nové Hrady (Gratzen) the family line was divided into two numbers:

The authors of the Book of taxes (1653) respected the nationality of the farmers - the Sazmans were considered to be the Czechs (the name of German farmers are written in German).

From the 2nd half of the 17th century the members of our family are written as Sasmans (Sassmanns), sometimes the name made troubles to officers and parsons, they wrote Sahsmahn, Säsmo, Saszmann, Säsman, Saßmann...

ad 3. In southern Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) there is a place called Sassmannshausen. The name Sassmannshausen is mentioned for the first time in 1344. So in the 1st half of the 14th century there existed a place called Sassmann´s Yards in Germany!! The etymological origin and meaning of this name has not been explained by historians yet. But it is evident, that in a church list of a parish in Feudingen (to which this place belonged) in 1583 a parson Wunderlich called this place "Sachsmannshausen". It isn´t sure, if this way of spelling means the former Saxon inhabitation.

To the year 1585 there were 5 families or 5 farms (estates) in Sassmannshausen. Between 1584 - 1585 all buildings and heritage were bought by the owner of a castle Wittgenstein bei Laasphe - the Earl Ludwig von Wittgenstein, who arranged to build one independent estate (farm) of these buildings. Local inhabitants moved to near -by villages. Only in 1712 new private farms were built in Sassmannshausen.

Today (1992) the town has 61 houses and 340 citizens. The following news is very interesting: from the year 1584 the family name Sassmannshausen (after the place) started to appear in near - by villages. But even earlier in one neighbouring village a name Sassmannhausen appeared.

We cannot say that all bearers of this name came from the place Sassmannshausen. Next interesting thing is, that a family called Sossaman lives in the USA. It comes from the region near Sassmannshausen. One of the Sassmannshausen went to Amerika in 1724 to gain experience. In the USA the name was multilated (changed).

In 1670 Elias Sassmannshausen was born in Diedenhausen (Westfalia). He died there on the 28.8.1740. Diedenhausen is situated 10 km to the South-east from Sassmannshausen. His descendants lived in the town Girkhausen - 10 km to the North from Sassmannshausen.

There Johann Georg Sassmannshausen was born on the 12.12.1746. His son Johann Georg Sassmannshausen II. (1781 - 1842) had a son Johann Philipp Sassmannshausen (1808 - 1897 in Girkhausen). Johann Philipp had 9 childern. The oldest son - Johann Heinrich Sassmannshausen was born on the 13. 6. 1831 in Girkhausen. He moved about 1870 to the United States. There his name started to be written John Sassman (!!). Under this name he died in 1910 in the town Black Creek (Wisconsin). John Sassman had 7 childern. His 6th child George Henry Sassman was born in Black Greek (Wisc.) on the 10.11.1875 and he died in Davenport (Washington) on the 1.2.1957.

ad 4. Origin surname SASSMANN near Jews is obscure (!):

1888 - Kuopio (Finland) - Abel Saksman

1892 - Tossm (?, Russia), passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Friede Sassmann (24 y.)

1892 - Hollovez (?, Poland), passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Martin Sasma, m. 47 y.

1904 - London; ethnicity: Russia, passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Leiter Sassmann (men, 27 y.)

1904 - London; ethnicity: Russin, Hebrew, passenger record Ellis Island: date

on arrival: Zise Sasman

1905 - Jamow (?Russia), Russian, Polish, passenger record Ellis Island: date

on Arrival: Piotr Sezema (!), 30 y.

1913 - Scaterinopol (?, Russi), ethnicity: Russia Hebrew, passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival: Chann Sasman (men, 25 y.)

1920 - Secarein, Roumania, Roumanian Hebrew,

1921 - Bielsk (Poland), passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival: Chaim

Zaszmann, men, , 20 y.

1921 - Swislocz (Poland), Polish Hebrew, passenger record Ellis Island: date

on Arrival: Zawula Zaszman, men, 20 y.

1922 - Born Russia, passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival: Louis

Sassman (men, 47 y)

2001 - Jewish Kansas City, After School Program: Kristina Sassmann

1765 - Berks, Pensylvania (USA): born Catherina Sassmann

1790 - Census index (USA): Chretien Sassmann

1806 - London (England): born Martha Sasman

1840 - Denver, Maxfield Township Bremer County: born Wilhelm Sassmann

1846 - Denver, Maxfield Township Bremer County: born Margaretha

Sassmann

1895 - Hungary, passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival: Janos Sasma

(!!), men, 8 y.

1907 - Olahdalya (?, Hungary), passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Miklos Sasmann

1909 - Vasand (Hungary): passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Josif Sasman

1908 - Mexico City (Mexico), passenger record Ellis Island: date on Arrival:

Susanna Sassmann (30 y.)

1961 - Bydgoszcz (Poland), born: priest Mieczyslaw Sasman

1970 - Stellenbosch (South Africa): Mark Sasman in Gifford High School

1998 - Kailua (Oahu, Hawai, USA): Shuana Sasman (18 y.)

1999 - Cape Town (South Africa): Carla Sasman

2001 - Katowice (Poland) : Bartosz Sasman

Mgr. Alois Sassmann

Czech Republic