Cappelen (family)
Encyclopedia
Cappelen is the surname of a prominent Norwegian family of merchants, land owners, civil servants and politicians. In the 18th and 19th century, it was one of the so-called patrician families in Norway, i.e. leading mercantile families.
near Wildeshausen
in Oldenburg
in in Lower Saxony
, Germany with Johan von Cappelen (1627-1688), who immigrated to Norway from Bremen
in 1653. Johan von Cappelen bought several properties and ended as a bailiff in Lier
in Buskerud
County, Norway. The family's main branches originated from three of his sons:
Jørgen Wright Cappelen
, a later member of the family, founded the publishing house J. W. Cappelens Forlag. The family in Norway had stopped using the von in the 19th Century.
were lawfully assumed in Norway in 1683: The shield
is parted in two fields, the first and upper one having the mother pelican feeding its young with its own blood (a pelican in its piety), and the second field has three blooming roses with leaves and stems. On top of the shield is a helmet
with a crest
: two buffalo horns and between them the symbol
of Fortune
being a naked woman holding a ship's sail in her hands and standing on an orb
.
The Ulefoss-line of the family has, however, dropped Fortune and uses the two horns only. The various lines of the family have different heraldic colours (tincture
s) in the arms.
In Germany the family used a merchant's mark
.
History
The family originated in CappelnCappeln
Cappeln is a municipality in the district of Cloppenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 7 km southeast of Cloppenburg.Cappeln consists of the following rural communities:* Cappeln including Dingel...
near Wildeshausen
Wildeshausen
Wildeshausen is a town and the capital of the Oldenburg district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated by the river Hunte.-History:...
in Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
in in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany with Johan von Cappelen (1627-1688), who immigrated to Norway from Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
in 1653. Johan von Cappelen bought several properties and ended as a bailiff in Lier
Lier
Lier may refer to:* Lier, Belgium* Lier, Norway* De Lier, a town in the Netherlands* Li Er, also known as Laozi, a Chinese philosopher- See also :* Liar...
in Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
County, Norway. The family's main branches originated from three of his sons:
- Johan von Cappelen junior (1658-1998), after his father was bailiff in Lier, Norway
- Ulrich Friderich von Cappelen (1668-1722), timber merchant and ran a sawmill in SkienSkien' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
in TelemarkTelemarkis a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
County, Norway - Gabriel von Cappelen (1674-1758), timber merchant in BragernesBragernesBragernes is one of the central parts of the Norwegian city of Drammen.-Location:Bragernes is located on the northern side of the Drammen River and contains the famous town square Bragernes square , the town hall, the Drammen Theatre , Drammen park and most of the shopping and nightlife in Drammen...
in DrammenDrammenDrammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
in BuskerudBuskerudis a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
County, Norway
Jørgen Wright Cappelen
Jørgen Wright Cappelen
-Personal life:Jørgen Wright Cappelen was born in Porsgrund in 1805 as the ninth and last child of ship-owner Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen and his wife Benedicte Henrikke, née Aall . His maternal grandfather was Nicolai Benjamin Aall, and as such his group of uncles included Constitutional...
, a later member of the family, founded the publishing house J. W. Cappelens Forlag. The family in Norway had stopped using the von in the 19th Century.
Famous members
- Jørgen von Cappelen (1715-1785) - Norwegian businessman and owner of Fossesholm Manor
- Jørgen Wright CappelenJørgen Wright Cappelen-Personal life:Jørgen Wright Cappelen was born in Porsgrund in 1805 as the ninth and last child of ship-owner Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen and his wife Benedicte Henrikke, née Aall . His maternal grandfather was Nicolai Benjamin Aall, and as such his group of uncles included Constitutional...
(1805-78), founder of the publishing house - Ulrich Fredrich von CappelenUlrich Fredrich von CappelenUlrich Fredrich von Cappelen was a Norwegian ship-owner and businessman.-Personal life:Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen was born in 1770 to landowner and merchant Diedrich von Cappelen and his first wife Petronelle Pedersdatter Juel . He had two older brothers, one sister and one younger half-brother...
(1770–1820), ship-owner - Didrich von Cappelen (1761-1828), member of the Eidsvoll assembly in 1814
- Ulrik Frederik CappelenUlrik Frederik CappelenUlrik Frederik Cappelen was a Norwegian jurist and politician.-Personal life:Ulrik Frederik Cappelen was born in 1795 as the second child of ship-owner Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen and his wife Benedicte Henrikke, née Aall . His maternal grandfather was Nicolai Benjamin Aall...
(1797-1864), county governor and politician - Johan CappelenJohan CappelenJohan Cappelen was a Norwegian jurist and politician for the Conservative Party.He was born in Skogn. He graduated with cand.jur. degree in 1911. He worked as a deputy judge, and from 1915, attorney. He was barrister with access to work with Supreme Court from 1922.As a politician Cappelen was...
(1889-1947), lawyer, county governor and Minister of Justice - August CappelenAugust CappelenHermann August Cappelen was a Norwegian painter. Cappelen was best known for his melancholic, dramatic and romantic landscape compositions.-Background:...
(1827–52), painter - Nicolai Benjamin CappelenNicolai Benjamin Cappelen-Personal life:Nicolai Benjamin Cappelen was born in 1795 as the first child of ship-owner Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen and his wife Benedicte Henrikke, née Aall . His namesake and maternal grandfather was Nicolai Benjamin Aall...
(1797-1866), politician, civil servant - Anna Sofie Cappelen, heiress to the BorgestadBorgestadBorgestad is a Norwegian shipping, industry and real estate company. It operates 11 open hatch bulk carriers and one Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel. It also owns a shopping centre in Bytom, Poland and a housing complex at Borgestadholmen...
manor house and married to Prime Minister Gunnar KnudsenGunnar KnudsenGunnar Knudsen , born Aanon Gunerius Knudsen, was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party who had two spells as Prime Minister of Norway from 1908 to 1910 and from 1913 to 1920... - Diderik Cappelen (1856–1935), chamberlain at the royal court and owner of UlefossUlefossUlefoss is the administrative centre of Nome municipality, Norway. Its population is 2,699.-References:...
iron works and Holden manor house. He discovered the mineral cappelenit that is named after him - Frederick William CappelenFrederick William CappelenFrederick William Cappelen was a Norwegian-born architect and civil engineer who held the office of Minneapolis City Engineer.Frederick William Cappelen was born in Drammen, Norway...
, city engineer in Minneapolis. Cappelen Memorial Bridge is named after him - Didrik Cappelen Schiøtt (1887-1958), married to Margit SchiøttMargit SchiøttMargit Schiøtt, née Knudsen was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party. She was born in Gjerpen, a daughter of the Norwegian Prime Minister Gunnar Knudsen. Her husband was dr. ing. Didrik Cappelen Schiøtt and they lived at Gulset in Skien, Norway, where they also owned a little farm...
, member of Stortinget, the Norwegian parliament - Hans Cappelen (Hasse)(1903–79), businessman, resistance fighter and Norwegian witness in the Nuremberg trialsNuremberg TrialsThe Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
- Andreas Zeier CappelenAndreas Zeier CappelenAndreas Zeier Cappelen was a Norwegian jurist and politician for the Labour Party. He was born in Vang, Hedmark.He held a variety of positions in different Norwegian cabinets...
, government minister (several posts including Foreign Minister) - Sofie CappelenSofie CappelenSofie Stange Cappelen is a Norwegian born actress. She is the daughter of writer Anders Cappelen, the granddaughter of playwright Peder Wright Cappelen and she is a part of the Publisher branch of the Cappelen family. She first appeared on screen six years old in the Norwegian Christmas show The...
, actress - Pål CappelenPål CappelenPål Cappelen is a retired Norwegian handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics.He was born in Oslo and represented the club SK Arild. In 1972 he was part of the Norwegian team which finished ninth in the Olympic tournament. He played three matches.-References:...
, handball player - Berit BertlingBerit BertlingBerit Bertling Cappelen is a Norwegian novelist. She lives in Oslo. She and Frid Ingulstad were rejected for the Norwegian Authors Association.-Works:Olwyns saga series:#Forrådt, Cappelen, 2004#Jomfrurov, Cappelen, 2004...
Cappelen, novelist - Trond ReinertsenTrond ReinertsenTrond R. Reinertsen is a Norwegian economist and business leader. He has a Ph.D from the University of Utah. From 1978 to 1997 he was chief director of the Norwegian Bank Association....
(b. 1945), economist and business leader - Herman CappelenHerman CappelenHerman Cappelen is a Norwegian philosopher currently teaching at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. His main areas of research include philosophy of language, philosophical methodology and related areas in epistemology, philosophy of mind, and metaphysics.- Education :Cappelen received a...
(b. 1967), philosopher
Coat of arms
The family coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were lawfully assumed in Norway in 1683: The shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
is parted in two fields, the first and upper one having the mother pelican feeding its young with its own blood (a pelican in its piety), and the second field has three blooming roses with leaves and stems. On top of the shield is a helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
with a crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
: two buffalo horns and between them the symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
of Fortune
Fortuna
Fortuna can mean:*Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck -Geographical:*19 Fortuna, asteroid*Fortuna, California, town located on the north coast of California*Fortuna, United States Virgin Islands...
being a naked woman holding a ship's sail in her hands and standing on an orb
Orb
The word "Orb", from the Latin orbis 'circle', is another name for a round object, especially a disk or a sphere.-Orb as a word:Orb may refer to:...
.
The Ulefoss-line of the family has, however, dropped Fortune and uses the two horns only. The various lines of the family have different heraldic colours (tincture
Tincture
A tincture is an alcoholic extract or solution of a non-volatile substance . To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60%...
s) in the arms.
In Germany the family used a merchant's mark
Merchant's mark
Merchants' marks are as old as the sealings of the third millennium BCE found in Sumer that originated in the Indus Valley. Impressions of cloth, strings and other packing material on the reverse of tags with seal impressions indicate...
.
Other sources
- Thomle, Erik Andreas (1896) Familien (von) Cappelen i Norge og Danmark (Christiania: J.W. Cappelen)
- Steffens, Haagen KrogHaagen Krog SteffensHaagen Krog Steffens was a Norwegian historian, archivist and genealogist.Haagen Krog Steffens was born in Christiania, the son of physician Henrich Steffens and Asta Falch. Steffens belonged to a family originating in Holstein...
(1912) Norske Slægter 1912 (Christiania: Gyldendalske Boghandel) - Cappelen, Hans (1988) Familien Cappelens tyske opprinnelse. Noen antagelser og hypoteser (in Norsk Slektshistorisk Tidsskrift)
- Haugen, Lambrecht (2008) Cappelen-slekten 1627-2008 (Rosendal)