Looking for very very minor German nobility.

[Alixz]

I have been trying to find two names that have been tied to the German unification and then emigrated to the US sometime after 1848.

These are the family names of Geiger and Jaeger.  I usually hear them as von Geiger and von Jeager and was told that the von was a honorary title given when one did something that the king or after 1848, the Kaiser was greatful for.

I am just trying to find out about these two very insignificant families who, I believe intermarried either just before or just after leaving Germany for the US.

Is there any way to find out which, if any, of the small pre-unification German states that they might have come from?  Are there, perhaps, army roles, which would show which soldiers served with King William during his march on Paris?  Or if they weren't soldiers, perhaps they were tax collectors or some other form of bureaucrat.

I have spent a lot of time on the internet looking for these names, but have not found too much.  I think I just don't know the right questions to ask.

If anyone could send me a link or two to send me on my way, I would be grateful.

[Alixz]

I am sorry, I had my dates and wars of unification mixed up.  It would have been the war with Austria not France.  And it would and been King Wilhelm of Prussia not Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. (Even though they are the same man, just at different times in his life.)

However, the date was 1848 and the names were von Geiger and von Jaeger.

If anyone knows of sites to get maps of the pre unified German city states or links to lists of names of the families that lived there, not just the ruling families, I would be most grateful.

I would like any avenue.  Not just internet, even a referral to a library collection no matter where would get me writing for more information.

[Robert_Hall]

As for maps, simply Google Germany 1848 maps [or any date] and there are plenty to look at.
 For findling the family itself. GENEALOGISCHES HANDBUCH DES ADELS is the most complete almanach of German nobilty I know of. It has EVERYBODY in it ! if they were noble, that is. It may be hard to find, a library inter-loan may be neccessary, depending on where you live. It is rather expensive to buy, about $80 a volume I should say.

[Eurohistory]

The Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels has four several series.  One deals with First /Second Section Gotha families, one deals with the Countly families, another deals with Baronnial families and yet another deals with the untitled noble families.

Although in German, the books are quite easy to handle!

Arturo Beeche