The name Simshauser in Australia has always aroused a certain amount of curiosity.
“How do you spell it?”, “How do you pronounce it?”, “Is it German?” would all be familiar questions that have been asked at some time or another. With increased numbers of Simshausers in more recent years, and a wider spread of these families, this is no longer such a problem.
Throughout the research varied spellings of the name have occurred – “Simshauser” in Germany; “Simschauser” on Conrad’s headstone; “Simseizer”; “Simchasur”; “Sinhauser” – just to mention a few.
Several explanations for the different versions of the spelling could be that –
- our ancestors, Conrad and his wife Louisa, would have had considerable difficulty at first, communicating in both the oral and written form of the English language.
- some of the authorities would not have been well educated – hence details may not have always been accurate when recorded.
- some of our ancestors in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s had very little education, as did so many other land people in those times. As a result, recorded details often vary.
- “Simseizer” was accepted spelling during World War I as Germans in Australia often feared internment. “Simseizer” may have appeared less German than “Simshauser”.
It is interesting to note “Simseizer” on Frederick Christian’s birth certificate, 1862. Along with other inaccuracies on this certificate, this would indicate that authorities probably recorded details as they heard them.
No attempt to explain pronunciations will be made, but be assured that they are all of the same family – Simshauser.
The origin of the name could be from German derivations-
Sims (zimss) – mantel-piece, ledge, window-sill
Zimmermann – carpenter
Hauser – house or home
Therefore Simshauser – “From house of the carpenter”. On researching the name in Germany it would have been “Simshauser” and sometimes “Simshaeuser” (the “e” being placed after the “a” in place of “a” – ie. Umlaut “a”).
Also of special interest are the christian names “Conrad” and “Christian” – handed down from one generation to the next. It would have been a strong tradition much practised in those times.