The surname Hellstern is derived from the old house name hellen Stern meaning ‘bright star’ or ‘shining star’, which is found in Stuttgart, Germany in early medieval times. [NOTE: This info is from a German surname book which I neglected to record the bibliographic information for. Sorry about that. If I can find it again, I’ll post it on the website.]
NOTE: The Hellstern family was in the Empfingen, Hohenzollern (now part of Württemberg), Germany area before the start of the surviving Empfingen church records. These are the earliest Hellstern families in the Empfingen church records, any (or none) of whom might be the parents of Johannes Hellstern, below:
Johannes HELLSTERN, married 06 November 1607(4) at Empfingen to Elisabetha FOGLER/VOGLER.
Christoph HELLSTERN, married 28 October 1608(4) at Empfingen to Margareta GFROER.
Christoph HELLSTERN, married 25 November 1613(4) at Empfingen to Maria WEBER. Had a son Johannes born or baptized 14 December 1614.
Michael HELLSTERN, married 10 September 1628(4) at Empfingen to Catharina WALTHER.
Michael HOLLSTERN, married to Catharina GFROER(4).
Johannes Hellstern, married 15 October 1650 at Empfingen, Hohenzollern (now part of Württemberg), Germany(4) to Magdalena Hengner. [NOTE: Somebody has submitted to the FHL Ancestral File that this Johannes and Magdalena were both born (circa 1619 and circa 1623 respectively) at Betra (Horb), Hohenzollern [which is just five kilometers west-northwest of Empfingen, but has its own church]. However, the FHL has not microfilmed any Betra church records before 1753; so, at this time, there does not appear to be any way in America to double-check that info.]
[NOTE: More photos of present-day Empfingen are at the European Quest gallery website.]
Known children(4):
+ Hans Hellstern, born about 1645? possibly at Betra; married 28 September 1670(4) at Empfingen to Catharina Baum.
Maria Hellstern, baptized 01 May 1651
at Empfingen.
Georg Hellstern, married 10 July 1684(4) at Empfingen to Anna Maria Walkam. Known child(4): Joseph Hellstern, baptized 09 February 1690/1 at Empfingen.
Catharina Hellstern, baptized 04
May 1656 at Empfingen.
Magdalena Hellstern, baptized 06 June 1659 at Empfingen.
Michael Hellstern, baptized 28 June 1661 at Empfingen; married 22 February 1694(4) at Empfingen to Catharina Keil (daughter of Johann Martin Keil and Maria Hengner) who was born 21 January 1667 at Empfingen(4).
Hans Hellstern, born about 1645? possibly at Betra, Hohenzollern (now part of Württemberg), Germany; died 25 January 1717 at Empfingen(4); married 28 September 1670 at Empfingen(4) to Catharina Baum (daughter of Gallus Baum and Catharina Hip, married 20 July 1643 at Empfingen(4)) who was born 30 October 1652 at Empfingen(4) and died 24 March 1711 at Empfingen(4).
Known children, born at Empfingen:
Johann Michael Hellstern, born 28 September 1671(4); married first 30 January 1695(4) at Empfingen to Johanna Reich; married second 11 August 1720(4) to Anna Schaeffer; married third 16 September 1743(4) to Margaretha Marker.
Martin Hellstern, born 12 October 1673(4).
Anna Maria Hellstern, born and baptized 25 July 1677(4); married first to Johannes Weckerl; married second 12 February 1714(4) to Michael Biesinger who was born 24 September 1689 possibly at Wiesenstetten, Hohenzollern, Germany. Known children with second husband, born at Wiesenstetten: Joseph Biesinger, born February 1715; Michael Biesinger, born 03 September 1717; Thomas Biesinger, born December 1721.
Ursula Hellstern, born 28 October 1679(4).
+ Joseph Hellstern, born 27 September 1684(4); married Catharina Schindler.
Catharina Hellstern, born 22 December 1686(4).
Maria Magdalena Hellstern, born 13 December 1688(4).
Anna Hellstern, born 08 March 1691(4).
Felicitas Hellstern, born 11 January 1693(4).
+ Urban Hellstern, born 25 May 1695(4); married Anna Eger.
Hellstern ancestry. Last revision: 26 May 2007
Allendorf to America: Erner and Related Families in America.
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