The Seekamp name dates back to November 25, 1481 [1]. That Friday, Heinrich Clüver [2] sold a piece of land near Bollen known as the Seekampswerder to the church, who in turn leased the land [3] to two brothers: Hinrich and Brüne. They didn’t have a surname yet. But thanks to the lease, they became known as Hinrich Seekamp and Brüne Seekamp.

Werder are small, cultivated pieces of land, on a river, which become rich and fertile over time through the ebb and flow of river floods. If we really delve into the meaning of the name Seekamp, we have to split it into two. See in german means lake. Kamp is a Low German (Plattdütsch) word meaning ‘enclosed, fenced, or hedged piece of land’, which in turn comes from the Latin word campus meaning ‘plain’.

So a Seekamp, in the literal meaning of the word, is a lake-field. The land in question here is also known as Clüverswerder, on the banks of the river Weser – the lake, or See, is clearly shown.

Clüverswerder today isn’t much bigger than it was in 1481 when Hinrich and Brüne Seekamp first farmed the land. The surrounding villages, like Achim, Bollen, Uphusen, and Bierden, are in essence unchanged in character since the day that Bruno Zee left. This is a region that prizes history, heritage, and storytelling, and it seems likely there are more stones to be upturned in researching the history of the Seekamps here.

Tracing the first Seekamps

By the early 1700’s, descendants of Hinrich Seekamp and his brother had become established families in the surrounding villages: Bollen, Uphusen, Bierden, Mahndorf, Embsen, and the towns of Achim and Arbergen. The Seekamp name had become one of the more common family names in the area.

Researching the details of the growth of the family is an interesting challenge. Local genealogists and historians like Heinz Früchtenicht and Ulrich Budler have done incredible work in piecing together church records and legal documents to create databases of births, deaths, and marriages. This makes life much easier for amateur family sleuths like myself! Nonetheless, when we get back to the 1500’s, records are sparse in comparison to the 18th century and onwards.

But what can we piece together about the early Seekamps and their journey out of Clüverswerder? So to the first question: Where did Seekamps first appear in the records of each of these towns?

The source for this research is the OFB or Ortsfamilienbuch – the digital version of the church records for births, deaths, and marriages. For Bollen, the closest village to Clüverswerder, this has been done by Heinz Früchtenicht, and is available through Die Maus, and also Genealogy.net. The latter appears more up to date. While the OFB is predominantly based on Church records, for the timeframe we’re looking at here (1450-1650), most of the records are in fact based on information from Höfakten, or Farm Records – the Church records don’t usually go back that far.

In addition to the OFB material, the “Family Book” of Früchtenicht Biermann, another piece of extensive research by Heinz Früchtenicht, additional information on the early Seekamps is found, and added to the OFB material below.

First records of the Seekamp name in surrounding villages

Clüverswerder
Seekamp family mentioned in the Family Book of Früchtenicht/Biermann, and OFB Uphusen, and OFB Bollen.

1425: Brüne Seekamp. Born est. 1425, Farmer and Leaseholder. “1481 werden die Brüder Hinrich und Brüne Seekamp als Pächter des zur Wasserburg Clüverswerder gehörenden Hofes genannt. Diese gehörte den Herren von Clüver und wurde nach dem Hof gelegentlich auch “Seekampswerder” genannt. Es ist davon auszugehen. daß alle Namensträger Seekamp auf diese Familien zurückzuführen sind“. [>]
1435: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth estimated 1435, Farmer, RC. Mentioned 1481 (as in intro, and above).
1455: Brüning Seekamp. Estimated birth 1455 at Clüverswerder, baptisim in Arbergen or Achim. A Roman Catholic farmer. Mentioned in a document in 1511.
1465: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth estimated 1465 Clüverswerder. Farmer, RC. Mentioned in document from Uphusen 1535 and 1546.
1475: Wilken Seekamp. Birth estimated 1475 Clüverswerder, farmer, RC. Mentioned 1534.

Bollen [>]
Seekamp family mentioned in the OFB Bollen 1400-1650.

1482: Johann Seekamp. Estimated birth 1482 in Bollen, farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned in a document in 1535.
1485
: Brüning Seecamp. Estimated birth 1485 Bollen, farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned in a document in 1535.
1510: Harmen Seekamp. Estimated birth 1510 Bollen, farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned in a document in 1563.
1520: Brüne Seekamp. Estimated birth 1520 Bollen, farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned in a document in 1576.
1540: Röpke Seekamp. Estimated birth 1540 Bollen, farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned in a document in 1576.
1560: Johann Seekamp. Estimated birth 1560, Köther (Small farm holder), Lutheran. Mentioned in a document in 1600.
1560: Hermann Seekamp. Estimated birth 1565, farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned in a document in 1610.
1636: Lefke Seekamp. Born 1636, died in Bollen, buried 28-Jan-1685 in Arbergen. Lutheran. Lefke is the first Seekamp in Bollen with full details. He married twice – first to Hibbel Lerbs in 1676, and again in 1681 to Gebke Meyer. From this marriage, they had one child – Lüer Seekamp, born around 1685, and died in Arbergen in 1722.
1641: Brüne Seekamp. Born 1641 Bollen. Married Beke Struckhusen. Hof No. 5. 4 children [>]
1645: Hermann Seekamp. Born 1645 Bollen. Married Beke Lange, daughter of Johann Lange, Bollen. Hof. No. 7. 8 children [>]
1647: Gesche Seekamp. Born 1647 Bollen. Married Johann Meyer. Hof No. 4 Bollen. [>]

Mahndorf [>]
Seekamp family mentioned in the OFB Mahndorf 1400-1650.

1510: Lefke Seekamp. Birth estimated 1510 Uphusen. Farmer, Roman Catholic. Mentioned 1562. Father possibly Hinrich Seecamp, farmer in Uphusen, Hof Nr. 5. ( vgl. Familiendatenbank Früchtenicht/Biermann ) >
1540: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth estimated 1540 Mahndorf, Farmer, RC, mentioned 1567. Hof No. 5. >
1570: Johann Seekamp. Birth estimated 1570 Mahndorf, Farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned 1595. Hof No.5. >
1600: Albert Seekamp. Birth estimated 1600 Mahndorf. Farmer, Lutheran. Hof No. 5 >. Buried 15-Nov-1675 in Arbergen. Married Wöbbeke N.N before 1631, two children: Johann b. 1631 in Mahndorf, and Eilke b. est. 1642 in Mahndorf.
1640: Göbbeke Seekamp. Birth estimated 1640 Mahndorf. Married Cord Osmers 11-Jul-1670 in Arbergen. Lived in Achim, 3 children. >

Arbergen [>]
Seekamp family mentioned in the OFB Arbergen 1400-1650.

1520: Albert Seekamp. Birth estimated 1520, Farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned in 1549 and 1562.
1545: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth estimated 1545, Farmer, RC. Mentioned 1583.
1627: Johann Seekamp. Birth estimated 1627. Died 24-Jul-1680 in Bremen, buried in Arbergen 28-Jul-1680. Farmer, Lutheran, Hof No. 7. Married Wöbbeke N.N., buried 28-Aug-1685 in Arbergen.
1642: Eilke Seekamp. Birth est. 1642 Mahndorf. Married Johann Reibers. [>] Daughter of Albert Seekamp of Mahndorf.

Hemelingen [>]
Seekamp family mentioned in the OFB Hemelingen 1400-1650.

1490: Brün Seekamp. Birth est. 1490, Farmer, RC.
1520: Brüning Brüning. Birth estimated 1520, Farmer, RC. Hof No.9 Hemelingen. Possibly a Seekamp?
1540: Brün Seekamp. Birth est. 1540, Farmer, RC.
1575: Brün Seekamp. Birth est. 1575 Hemelingen, Farmer, Lutheran.
1575: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth est. 1575, Farmer, Lutheran.
1608: Johann Seekamp. Birth est. 1608. Farmer. Died 1666 in Hemelingen. Hof Nr. 16. “soll aus Mahndorf gekommen sein”. Married Wümmel N.N. 1 son: Marten Seekamp, he maried Wübke Elmers, daughter of Berend Elmers. They had 6 children, all born/died in Hemelingen.
1608: Wöltje Seekamp. Birth est. 1608, Farmer. Hof No. 12. He married Lücke N.N. 2 children, Harmen and Ahlke.
1610: Johann Seekamp. Birth est. 1610. Married Wöbbeke N.N. Hof No. 2. Two children Berend and Albert.
1633: Gretje Seekamp. Birth est. 1633. Died 1693 Hemelingen. Married Burchard Döhle. Hof No. 4.
1635: Lefke Seekamp. Birth est. 1635. Died 1666 in Bremen [>]. Buried Aug 15, 1666 in Arbergen. Two children: Gretje Seekamp (born outside wedlock), baptised 12.04.1665, and Trine Seekamp, born 1667 and married Dierck Reibers. *mentioned under Bremen ref. Die Pest.
1637: Harmen Seekamp. Birth est. 1637. [>]Married Alcke Tietjen 1677. Son of Wöltje Seekamp b. 1608 above. They had one child: Wöltje Seekamp, who married three times: 1. to Ahlke Seekamp, daughter of Albert Seekamp. 2. to Gretje Meyer and 3. to Becke Meyer.
1639: Röbke Seekamp. Birth est. 1639. [>] Married Wöbbeke Meyer 1668, 7 children.
1647: Albert Seekamp. Birth est. 1647. [>] Son of Johann Seekamp (b. 1610 above) and Wöbbeke. Married Anna N.N., 5 children.


Uphusen [>]
Seekamp family mentioned in the OFB Uphusen 1400-1650.

1495: Lefke Seekamp. Birth estimated 1495 Uphusen. Farmer, RC. Mentioned 1549.
1505: Wilken Seekamp. Birth estimated 1505 Uphusen. Famer, RC. Mentioned 1546 and 1557.
1525: Wöltje Seekamp. Birth estimated 1525 Uphusen, Farmer, RC. Mentioned 1567 and 1571.
1535: Wilken Seekamp. Birth estimated 1535 Uphusen. Farmer, RC. Mentioned 1562.
1555: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth estimated 1555 Uphusen. Farmer, RC. Mentioned in a document from 1602 indicating possible wife as Alke N.N, widowed Farm owner.
1565: Johann Seekamp. Birth estimated 1565 Uphusen. Farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned 1602 and 1610. Possible Hof No. 12 “Eichtor”.
1570: Frederick Seekamp. Birth est. 1570 Uphusen. Köther, Lutheran. Mentioned 1602.
1570: Dierk Seekamp. Birth est. 1570 Uphusen. Köther, Lutheran. Mentioned 1610.
1580: Wöltje Seekamp. Birth est. 1580 Uphusen, Köther, Lutheran. Mentioned 1610.
1585: Lefke Seekamp. Birth est. 1585 Uphusen, Farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned 1610 & 1625. Hof No. 10, Uphusen. Married Metje N.N. (she died aged 103 in 1690 in Uphusen).
1595: Johann Seekamp. Birth est. 1595 Uphusen, Farmer, Lutheran. Mentioned 1625 & 1651. Hof No. 12 “Eichtor”. Married Gretje Henken. Five children: Johann Seekamp (est. 1632), Detmer Seekamp (est. 1635, married Metje N.N., 7 children – of which Beke Seekamp moved to Bollen and married Cordt Elmers), Albert Seekamp (est. 1638, married Gesche Struckhusen, 6 children), Hilcke Seekamp (est. 1639), and Gesche Seekamp (est. 1647). Gesche Seekamp moved to Bollen and married Brüne Pape, and died there in 1711.
1600: Brüning Seekamp. Birth est. 1600 Uphusen, Köther, Lutheran. Possibly Hof No. 27. Mentioned 1647 & 1651.
1615: Hinrich Seekamp. Birth est. 1615 Uphusen, died 1685 Uphusen, buried 23-Sep-1685 Arbergen. Farmer, Lutheran. Hof No. 10. Married Gretke N.N., four children: Hibbel, Mette, Johann, Dierk. Dierk died aged 19, no children, but Johann Seekamp, b. 1657. had 13 children [>]. Of these, Gesche and Beke went to Bollen, and Beke married Bösche Seecamp on 26-Nov-1738.
1632: Johann Seekamp. Birth est. 1632 Uphusen. Son of Johann Seekamp (b. 1595 above) and Gretje Henken. Died 1676 aged 44. Hof No. 12 “Eichtor” [>]. Married Gesche N.N. 1 son Johann Seekamp b. 1670 Uphusen, married Gretke Claus.
1634: Johann Seekamp. Birth est. 1634 Uphusen. Died 1686 Uphusen. Married Gesche N.N., 7 children. She died March 1677, Johann then remarried to Lücke Rowohlt in Aug 1677, 6 further children. [>] No mention of parents in OFB.
1635: Detmer Seekamp. Birth est. 1635 Uphusen. Son of Johann Seekamp (b. 1595 above) and Gretje Henken. Married Metje N.N., 7 children.
1636: Harmen Seekamp. Birth est. 1636 Uphusen. [>] Married Gesche N.N. 1677 – this Gesche was earlier married to Johann Seekamp b. 1632 above.
1638: Albert Seekamp. Birth est. 1638 Uphusen. Married Gesche Struckhusen, 6 children.
1639: Hilke Seekamp. 1639 Uphusen, daughter of Johann Seekamp (b. 1595 above) and Gretje Henken. Married Urban Urban.
1646: Hibbel Seekamp. 1646 Uphusen. Daughter of Hinrich Seekamp and Gretke N.N. Married Seba Reiners.
1647: Gesche Seekamp. Above.
1650: Mette Seekamp. 1650 Uphusen. Sister of Hibbel Seekamp b. 1646.

From this list, it’s already clear that the largest Seekamp family center by 1600 was Uphusen. But what about Bremen? Were there any Seekamp’s there by 1600?

Bremen

The OFB for Bremen-Vegesack does’t go back far enough to tell us anything about the period before 1700. There are other sources, however. Below are entries from Die Maus, Bremer Einwohner vor 1650 [>].

1546: Albert Seekamp. “Landmann, wurde am 21. Juni 1546 von den Beginen bei den schwarzen Mönchen mit ihrer halben Wurth zu Arbergen bemeiert” [Urkunden des Bremer Staatsarchivs von 1434 an >].
1581: Frerik Seekamp (Frerik Sehekamp ?) Am 27. März 1581 leiht er vom St. Anscharii-Kapitel 50 Rtl. Source: Schmidtmeyer, Alfred, Urkunden des Bremer Staatsarchivs von 1434 an, 2 Bde. – Das Buch der Akzise enthält auf Seite 3 seine Gebühren-Entrichtung für einen Posten Mehl. Source: Kaufmannsakzisebücher, insges. 99 Bde. im Bestand des StAB, von denen einige von A. Schmidtmayer mit Register als Beilage versehen wurden. 1570, 125. – Er mit seiner Ehefrau Reime erhielt am Freitag nach Heil. 3 Könige im Jahr 1588 das Bürgerrecht, die Bürgschaft für beide übernahmen Claus Wurtman und Herman Rose. ad P.8.A.19.a.3.
15–? Hermann Seekamp. Namhaft im Akzisebuch mit Ankauf eines Postens Mehl, als er dafür die zugehörige Gebühr nach Seite 18 steuerte. SA 1570, 126.
16–? Bruning Seekamp “Von Uphusen aus dem Gericht Achim bürtig, ließ sich am 7. Februar als Neubürger hier einschreiben, und mit einer Musquette und Seitgewehr ausstatten; die Bürgschaft hatten Marten Stöver und Hermann Rowohlt übernommen. Source: Bürgerbücher der Altstadt, Ref. P.8.A.19.a.3.
1603: Hermann Seekamp. “Im Jahr 1603 wurde ein erheblich jüngerer Träger seines Namens als Bürger aufge-nommen, siehe die Kladde Seite 143″ [>]
1609: Johan Seekamp (Johan Sehekamp?) Nach dem Ankauf eines Postens “Vale” also von Pfählen, wurde er urkundlich in der Aufzeichnung des Accise-Einnahmen-Registers für erste Hälfte des Wirtschaftsjahres 1609 im Band I auf Seite 47, und er versteuerte am 22. Mai. – erst im Jahr 1713 ist ein Bürger unter diesem Namen aufgenommen lt. Namenregister. – Unter “Sehekamp” ist er am Freitag nach 3 Könige 1579 eingebürgert, die Bürgen waren Claus Wurtman und Claus Albers. ad P.8.A.19.a.3.- [>]
1610: Hinrich Seekamp. “Landmann in Habenhausen, um 1610 Baumannoder Kötner auf einem dortigen Meierhof. Mahnken, Arster Heimatbuch, 1936 80 ff.” [>]
1616: Herman Seekamp. “Eine weitere Einbürgerung eines Gleichnamigen findet sich im Jahr 1616, siehe Kladde Seite 287.” [>]
1621: Hinrich Seekamp. “Bezieher einer Partie Hopfen, erlegte dafür die fällige Abgabe im Akzisebuch Seite 121. SA 1570, 126. Seine Ehefrau war Anna Voß, ihre Tochter heiratete im Jahr 1621 den Prediger an St. Stephani und Professor der Theologie Hermann Hildebrant. Goldenes Buch Seite 130. In dem Accise-Einnahmenregister des erste Halbjahres 1586 ist er Seite 86 vermerkt. Der im Jahre 1621 vorstehend als Vater erwähnte ist vermutlich mit dem im Jahre 1605 Eingebürgerten identisch, siehe Kladde Seite 149. [>]
1628: Bruning Seekamp. Wurde vom Contributionsverzeichnis für das Neue Werk bereits 1628 als Bewohner des Kirchspiels St. Stephani auf Seite 161 angegeben. Source: Bürgerbücher der Altstadt, Ref. P.8.A.19.a.3, Seite 161
1636: Albert Seekamp. Bürgerrecht. “Ein erheblich jüngerer seines Namens hat im Jahr 1636 das Bürgerrecht empfangen, siehe Kladde Seite 52.” [>]

At this point, there isn’t any strong evidence of a single member of the Seekamp family living in Bremen prior to 1600. Although Albert Seekamp is mentioned above in 1546, the location is Uphusen, not Bremen. Frerik Seekamp was more likely Frerik Sehekamp, and appears unrelated. So, the earliest mention of a probable member of the Seekamp family is 1603, when Hermann Seekamp received the Bürgerrecht, or citizenship of Bremen.

What about Seekamps in Bremen in the period 1600-1700? Die Maus has other information sources for Bremen that paint a picture of the number of Seekamps in Bremen in the 1600’s – and there aren’t many. In the taxpayer registers of the Altstadt of Bremen, the following Seekamps are listed are for the period 1638-1668:

Brüning Seekamp, living in the Stephani district, 1649, 1653.
Brüning Seekamp, living in the Ansgari district, 1653, 1656, 1668.
Carsten Seekamp, living in the Stephani district, 1644, 1646, 1649, 1653.
Leffke Seekamp, living in the Stephani district, 1644, 1649, 1653, 1656.
Tonnies Seekamp, in the Unser Lieben Frauen district, 1642-1668.

In a consolidation of church marriage registers of Bremen, only four Seekamps are listed for the period 1658-1699:

Brüning Seekamp, married at St. Stephani in 1678
Brüning Seekamp, married at St. Stephani in 1678
Brüning Seekamp, married at Unser Lieben Frauen in 1696
Cathrine Seekamp, married at St. Pauli in 1673

Another Bremen source: Baptisms in the St. Petri Dom cathedral, which lists the baptisee and also details about the parents. In this source, the following Seekamps are mentioned.

Anna Seekamp. Born est. 1674, father Brüning Seekamp. Married Hinrich Hesterman 1706 St.Ansgarii.
Gretye Seekamp. Born est. 1672. Married Tonius Lange est. 1694.
Greie Seekampt (sic). Born est. 1689. Married Johann Meyer. >

In the book “Die Pest in Bremen” by Klaus Schwarz [>], Lefke Seekamp is mentioned as dying from the plague [>] and buried on August 15, 1666. Lefke was buried in Arbergen. The church record mentions that the plague at that time was active in Bremen, and may suggest that Lefke also lived in Bremen – perhaps the same Leffke Seekamp in the tax records above. In the same book, Brünings Seekamp is mentioned in 1713, as his wife died from the plague. This Brünings Seekamp lived in the Paulsberge area of Bremen, and was left a widower with two (apparently young) children when his spouse passed away on September 27, 1713. She was buried in the St. Remberti Kirche. The house was cleaned on September 29th, and released as clear a month later. The case of plague was significant at the time, because it was the first indication that it had spread from the Altstadt to the Vorstadt. Finding the entry in the St. Remeberti burials book would perhaps give more information.

Conclusion, so far: Bremen’s records for the 17th century are extensive, with some of the record lists reaching into the tens of thousands. It is therefore apparent that the number of Seekamp’s living in the city of Bremen before 1700 is extremely small. Of those that are listed (above), a couple (Albert, Bruning) are mentioned as coming from Uphusen and Arbergen. It thus appears very likely that the Seekamp’s living in Bremen are connected to each other, and stem from the Seekamps of Clüverswerder – in other words, they are all the same family. The only exception I can find at this point is Tonnies Seekamp above, who also appears as “Tonnies Sehekamp” in other Bremen records and is likely unrelated.

Other villages

To complete the picture, a review of the remaining OFB’s around Bremen will show the number of Seekamps in those villages in the period until 1700.

Elsdorf: no Seekamps. Gnarrenburg: no Seekamps prior 1700. Gneeslingen: ditto. Kirchlinteln: ditto. Neuenkirchen Wolterdingen: ditto. Schneverdingen: no Seekamps. Selsingen: no Seekamps. Sottrum: no Seekamps. Visselhövede: no Seekamps. Wittlohe: no Seekamps. Worpswede: no Seekamps prior 1700.

So, before 1700, the only places where Seekamps lived were the small villages of Bollen, Uphusen, Hemelingen, Mahndorf, Arbergen, and a handful in Bremen. *Achim not yet checked.

Summary

This table shows the number of Seekamps mentioned in each time period.

ClüverswerderUphusenBollenMahndorfArbergenHemelingenBremen
1400-15005121
1500-155033222
1550-16007212
1600-165011422810

For each, the (estimated) year of birth for the first mention of any Seekamp there is as follows:
Clüverswerder: 1425 (Brüne Seekamp)
Uphusen: 1435 (Hinrich Seekamp)
Bollen: 1482 (Johann Seekamp)
Hemelingen: 1490 (Brün Seekamp)
Mahndorf: 1510 (Lefke Seekamp)
Arbergen: 1520 (Albert Seekamp)
Bremen: 1603 (Herman Seekamp) (date of citizenship, not birth)

And so, in sequence, very loosely, the progress of the family was Clüverswerder, Uphusen & Bollen (c. 1425) -> Hemelingen, Mahndorf and Uphusen (c. 1500) -> Bremen and the wider world (c. 1600).


Footnotes

1. “Am 25.11.1481[1] „Der Amtmann des Stiftes Bremen, Heinrich Clüver, verkauft den Hebdomedarien (Mönchen?) am Dom für 100 Rhein. Fl. (Rheinische Gulden) Sekampswerder zu Bolme (Bollen) eine Rente von 6 Rhein. Fl., mit Vorbehalt des Wiederkaufes“. Stader Jahrbuch 1980, Die Familie Clüver, S. 77. StA Stade - Verlust. Leider ist diese Urkunde höchstwahrscheinlich 1943 in Hannover verbrannt. 

2. Heinrich Clüver war zu der Zeit Amtmann des Stiftes Bremen. Source: StA Bremen Hann. Arch. Nr. 2583

3. Kurz darauf verpfändet er den ganzen Hof Seekampswerder an den Dom zu Bremen, wobei sein Sohn Gise Clüver mitwirkt. Der Hof ist verhäuert an Hinrich Seekamp und dessen Bruder. Source: HStA Hannover, Hann.Des. 27b.

4. Seekamp, Hermann 3 Herman! Namhaft im Akzisebuch mit Ankauf eines Postens Mehl, als er dafür die zugehörige Gebühr nach Seite 18 steuerte. SA 1570, 126. Im Jahr 1603 wurde ein erheblich jüngerer Träger seines Namens als Bürger aufge-nommen, siehe die Kladde Seite 143. Eine weitere Einbürgerung eines Gleichnamigen findet sich im Jahr 1616, siehe Kladde Seite 287.- [Die Maus, Bremer Einwohner vor 1650 >]

Join the discussion 7 Comments

  • Sarah Seekamp says:

    This is cool to know I figured it had to be German or something in that area but until today finding this information I had no clue how old my last name truly was

    • Zee Family says:

      Hey Sarah! Yeah, 1481 – quite a long way back eh! There are some Seekamps in the US, and some in Australia … as far as I know all go back to the same origins near Bremen. Maybe you can start your family tree and find out!

  • My family history! Thank you for all this information….it bolsters the research I’ ve already done (on the famlienbuch site). I can’t wait to share this with my Seekamp family!

    • Zee Family says:

      Hi John, that’s great! Glad to hear. Are you of the American or Australian branch of the Seekamps? I’m curious if you’ve managed to trace your ancestry back to Germany directly, and know when your Seekamp ancestor left for the ‘new world’? Cheers

  • Hi,
    I’m from the American line…..my great grandfather Carsten Seekamp having come to New Nork City in 1862 from Scharmbeckstotel, a village near Bremen. He was a sailor on a wooden sailing ship on several voyages from Bremerhaven to England and then on to Bahia Brazil from 1858 to 1862. The schoonerbrig on which he sailed all but one of the 5 voyages he made was named the August Eberhard. The other was the Clarissa and then on the final voyage to New York he sailed on the ship Hermann. His father Hinrich was born in Hemelingen
    In 1802 (listed as Seecamp) and I traced my direct lineage through him back to Johann Seecamp born in 1608 in Hemelingen. Hope you find this informing,
    Cheers back!

    • Zee Family says:

      Very cool John, great that you were able to get back so far! No doubt you’ve come across “Die Maus” (https://die-maus-bremen.info/) – lots of good info on the local families around Bremen. Thanks for sharing your story! Even if our link goes all the way back to 1481, we’re relatives! 🙂

      • Yes! Thanks to your hard work, I was able to fill my family tree. And yes I’ve visited die maus! A good site. I’m sure we’re related just based on the shared last name of Seekamp. Just a matter of how far back to go to find shared DNA
        Regards,
        John

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