History of the Krusemar(c)ks

Overview 1. Evolution of the family name and spelling 2. First mention of the family name 3. Subsequent history 4. What About Today? 5. Source Material/Reference

Today all Krusemarks spell their name like I do KRUSEMARK. Although there are a few, very few, who still spell their name KRUSEMARCK.
These people feel that the "ck" proves their history of noble origin. The original family did indeed use the "ck" at the end of the name, however, the spelling of "ck" alone is not prove enough for or against noble origin.

One should remember that even today there exist various spellings of our name.

1. Evolution of the family name and spelling

The first spelling was "crausemarcke" or "crausemarcken". "Crausemargk", etc. are found in old parish registers, too. The authors didn't set great store by the correct spelling at all. In history there was a very generous dealing with the spelling like we all know. But after all the spelling "Krusemarck", or "Crausemarck" was the most used spelling.

2. First Mention of the Family Name
(by A. Seidel)

The Altmark is the cradle of this noble name. The origin of the "von Krusemarcks" is still obscure, yet one of the most distinguished families. The merging of the "von Möllendorf" and the "von Krüsicke" is very probable.
This is probably the cause for its late appearance in official documents. 15th century documents evidence the expanding financial and political influence.
The family "von Krusemarck" with their motto "DEO SOLI GLORIA" (God alone for honour) can be found at first 1298 and 1299. Johann von Krusemarck, who was in Spandau in 1300, is named in combination with Markgraf Hermann and Bishop Bolrad of Brandenburg. He was also in Nürnberg in 1298 in connection with Markgraf Hermann.

Conrad von Krusemarck can be found in the catalog of the Italian University of Bolognia. He was there in 1310 as Prokurat of Germany and translated ancient documents whereupon the University awarded the highest honours. In the year 1327 he became Dekan (deacon) of Lebus.

In the documents of the monastery Heiligengrabe (1328 and 1350) we find Ludolf and Coneke von Krusemarck. The second lived in a village Wuticke and sold in 1350 the village Bölzke (near Pritzwalk) to the monestery.

In 1480 Ebel von Krusemarck, Deichschauer, and Lorenz, his son, lived in Rauenthal. In 1480, Brüning von Krusemarck lived in the village Krusemarck.
At the end of the 16th century, the family possessed Groß Ellingen, Hohenberg, and a quarter of the village Welle.

After the noble family, let's take a look now at the bourgeoise family:
By changing the hometown, a lot of people from "Krusemark" accepted the name of their old home: Krusemark. This is the origin of most Krusemarks. The spelling of the name was most only with an "K".

So far to the "Krusemarcks" and "Krusemarks" at the beginning...

3. Subsequent history

Subsequent history is under study and construction - visit the history of the coat of arms, too!

4. What about Today?

We now have to ask ourselves if there are any direct descendants of this noble family. Many of our own ancestors inquired about this, however, without success. Official documents indicate the extinction of the family name during the 19th century. Who really knows, perhaps branches of the family dropped the name and title but still exist.

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