There are many examples in church records of a name with a “ü” being converted over time to an “i” – including Küstner becoming Kistner (Rotenfels), Düllinger becoming Dillinger (Michelbach), and Fütterer becoming Fitterer (Rotenfels and Michelbach).

There are several forms of this occupational name, including Bödenmeker, Büddenbender, Büdeker, Bütenbender, Butgenmaker, Buttgenmaker, Bütmacher, Bütner, Büttemacher, Büttenmacher, Büttenmaker, Büttekenmaker, Büttenbinder, Butticher, Büttichenbinder, Büttger, Büttler, Büttner, Püttner, Pütner, Puttner, Putner, Pittmann, Bittner, Pittner, Weißbüttner. Perhaps the most common form of this name is "Bittner".

Bittmanns in Germany

"Bittmann" is not a common name in Germany (less than 500 listings in the telephone directory). There are several strong clusters of Bittmanns today (indicated by the red in the graphic). The largest cluster is centered on Gaggenau, in Baden-Württemberg (Bittmann records are found in Ittersbach starting in 1588). The next largest cluster is in the Worms area of Rheinland-Pfalz (there are Bittmann records from Framersheim starting in the late 1600s, but the earliest Pfalz record appears to be in Frankenthal in 1628). The connection between the two main clusters of Bittmanns is not known, and may not be knowable.

There are also a few Bittmanns found in Talheim in 1543, Hohebach in 1559, and Babenhausen in 1580. Today there are also Bittmann clusters in Nordrhein-Westfalen, but the earliest church records of Bittmanns in that area start in 1710.

In the Gaggenau area, there are two specific clusters of Bittmanns in the 1700s, about ten miles apart: (1) The villages of Ittersbach and Spielberg, and (2) The villages of Rotenfels and Michelbach. Today, Ittersbach and Spielberg are primarily Evangelical, while Rotenfels and Michelbach are primarily Catholic.

A Single Ancestor?

There is reason to believe that all (or at least most) of the Bittmanns in the Gaggenau (Catholic) and Worms (Evangelical) areas are related. Here is a possible (but unproven) scenario:

Marx Bittmann was born about 1555, and married Dorothea Vogel in Ittersbach (Evangelical) in 1588. Together, they had seven children, including the boys Johannes (1592), Georg (1595), and Valentin (1598). After Dorothea died, Marx married Sara, and had Michael (1606). Marx and Sara died in 1615 and 1616, respectively - just before the outbreak of the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). The village of Ittersbach suffered greatly during the Thirty Years War, especially due to famines caused by the poor soil conditions of the area.

It seems likely that the cluster of Bittmanns in the Spielberg/Karlsbad area (two miles from Ittersbach - also Evangelical) are descended from one of these boys. For Spielberg, the records don't start until 1752, so it will be difficult to bridge that gap.

Georg Friederich of Baden-Durlach formed an army from his lands, which included Ittersbach (transferred to Baden in 1604). The Bittmann boys were the right age to participate in the Baden-Durlach army, although they could have simply been displaced by the war, famines, etc.. In 1622, Baden-Durlach fought in Wiesloch and Wimpfen. That same year, the Spanish took Mannheim and Heidelberg, and in 1623 they took Frankenthal (near Worms).

In 1628, Anna Maria Biedemann was born to Georg Biedemann and Margaretha in Frankenthal (Evangelical). It is possible this is Marx's son, and another of his sons stayed in the area to be the progenitor of the Worms-area Bittmanns. In late 1631, the Swedes plundered the Catholic towns in the Main and Rhine valleys, and took up winter quarters in Mainz. This may have forced Georg and Margaretha south. In 1632, Georg Bittman and Margaretha had a son, Georg, in Rotenfels (Catholic). Georg (Sr.) is not mentioned earlier in the Rotenfels records, but is mentioned several times later - in fact, when his son is married, Georg (Sr.) is described as one of the town council members (one of 2-3 village leaders). In nearby Michelbach, Jacob Bittman is married in 1651, and has two children. It is likely he is another of Georg's sons (Evidence: Jacob Bittmann is a witness for Georg Bittmann, Jr., in his first marriage in Rotenfels).

The Frankenthal Biedemanns may be a different family. If so, then the religious change makes more sense. Until 1624, Michelbach was Evangelical (and had been for about 80 years). Georg may have originally moved here from Ittersbach. The Thirty Years War was difficult for both Rotenfels and Michelbach. The Michelbach church was reported in serious disrepair, and from about 1637 to 1671, Michelbachers attended church in Rotenfels, and the people in the towns appear to be close. During those 34 years – a full generation – 83 Michelbachers were born. The population of Michelbach near the end of the war had also declined by two-thirds to about 100.

Georg Bittmann (Jr.) was married twice. One child survived from the first marriage (Stephan), and is the progenitor for several generations of Bittmanns in Rotenfels and Gaggenau (and Danube Swabians - emigrants to Hungary). Georg Jr. then married Margaretha Simon, who was apparently a Michelbacher (sister of Adam Simon, of Michelbach), and raised ten more children. Most of his "second" family "disappeared", but it seems likely that he moved to Michelbach. The rationale is this - from 1690-1694, the stabhalter (village leader) of Michelbach is Georg Bittmann. There are no other Georg Bittmanns in the area. It seems likely that the Bittmanns in both Rotenfels and Michelbach are descended from Georg Bittmann, Sr.

Bittmanns Emigrating From Baden

Bittmanns emigrated from Germany to Poland, Hungary, Canada and the United States. Austrian-Hungarian Bittmanns also emigrated to the United States, but the roots of these Bittmanns appear to be in the Rotenfels/Gaggenau area (although a few may have also left the Pfalz). Almost all Bittmanns in the United States today have roots back to Ittersbach or the Worms area.

Next - Philomena Bastian's Ancestry
Beginning - The Family History of Bernhard and Philomena Bittmann of Michelbach, Baden
Home - Bittmann and Davis Family Genealogy