House of Springorum
An overview of the Springorum family
This site tells the story of the Springorum name: where it began, how it was passed down, and how it eventually found its way into the Netherlands. The trail starts in 15th-century Bochum (Germany), where the surname first appears in the records, and follows the generations that carried it forward across borders and into Dutch society.
My research begins with the direct male line, because that line holds the key to the origin of my surname itself. Before anything else, I want to understand where the name Springorum comes from—and how it became part of my own family history.
That journey eventually leads to Amsterdam. In the eighteenth century, my ancestors Barend and Willem Springorum left their German roots behind and settled in the city, where the name firmly entered Dutch records. Their arrival marks a turning point, but it was not the very first appearance of the surname in the Netherlands. Earlier traces of Springorums already surface in Amsterdam archives, including Elisabeth Katharina and Diederich Springorum. Although they appear in different contexts, the evidence points back to the same earlier ancestor, suggesting that multiple branches of the family reached the Netherlands independently, yet shared a common origin.
Ultimately, this brings us to Reinhard Springorum, born in 1593, the earliest securely attested ancestor. Along the way you’ll meet many notable figures: priests, merchants, and even a privateer captain operating under a letter of marque.
Although Reinhard Springorum is the earliest confirmed ancestor, the name Celse Springorum already appears in Bochum in 1423—over six hundred years ago. No surviving evidence, such as baptism or marriage records, allows these early mentions to be securely linked to the family tree. At the same time, the surname is extremely rare and, as far as known, occurs only within a small area of present-day North Rhine–Westphalia—mainly around Bochum, Dortmund, Essen, Herdecke, and Unna. Taken together, this strongly suggests a common origin, even if it cannot be proven with certainty.
Whether you’re a Springorum descendant, a genealogy enthusiast, or simply curious about family history, I invite you to explore where the Springorum story leads you.
How a simple question led me into genealogical research
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When yet another person asked me where exactly my last name comes from, I decided to investigate it myself. Using the wealth of publicly accessible archives, the trail quickly led me to Amsterdam. However, the two Springorums I found in Amsterdam traced their roots back to Germany—specifically to Heinrichenburg, Vest Recklinghausen. In the surrounding area (Dortmund, Bochum, Herdecke & Unna), I encountered several more Springorums.
Turning early research into a more structured approach
At first, my approach was, to put it mildly, not very structured. Gradually, I brought more order to my findings. An introductory genealogy course gave me confidence that I was on the right track; with that knowledge I could tap into and gained an ever clearer picture of how the name Springorum spread.
I found no hard evidence that the Amsterdam Springorums were connected to the descendants of Reinhard Springorum from Dortmund. So I eventually took a DNA test. The result — a match with a German descendant of Reinhard, seven or eight generations back — was no real surprise anymore, but it was a relief. It confirmed what I had suspected.
What I didn’t realize then is just how remarkable this match is. The chance of a DNA match across seven or eight generations is very small — about one in fifty — because most people related that distantly share almost no DNA anymore, at least not enough to be recognized as a significant match.
What the sources revealed—and what they didn’t
During this journey, I stumbled upon many remarkable stories, which I have gathered here for anyone bearing the name Springorum—and for anyone else who enjoys diving into a bit of history.
This isn’t your typical genealogy website—and that’s very much intentional. Yes, you’ll find an index, and a timeline where all the Springorums are lined up in order, but that’s not the heart of it. What you’ll mostly discover here are stories drawn from old documents I stumbled across along the way. For some Springorums, there was hardly anything to be found. For others, the records opened up surprising connections that gave me a vivid glimpse into their lives. It’s far from complete, but every piece is rooted in real historical sources.
If you’d like to explore even more Springorums than I’ve included here, take a look at my Geneanet site—it holds the full[1] family tree.
Why this research is ongoing and incomplete
When I started this journey at the end of 2024, I had no idea it would lead to countless nights spent browsing and searching. The time I’ve poured into this project just keeps growing. I’ve come to realize it’s the kind of thing that never really ends. And yes—on dark winter evenings, I’m far more likely to put in the effort than on warm summer nights. That’s why so many blanks still remain on these pages—they’re waiting for time, focus, and the right moment to be filled.
Corrections, additions, and new information are welcome
There will be mistakes, for sure. If you notice any mistakes, missing details, or have extra information that could improve the site, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I welcome corrections, updates, or new discoveries—especially from fellow Springorums or anyone with relevant historical insight. Are you a descendant of one of the Springorums, but this part is still missing? Let me know, and I’ll make it a priority.
Rudolf Springorum
(Eindhoven, Nederland)
Well—much fuller than here, at least. ↩︎