What's in a Name?

Within my family, there has been much discussion over the years regarding the origin of the "Banks" surname. Rumors abound that we were descendants of Sir Joseph Banks, the famous naturalist, botanist, and explorer who accompanied Captain James Cook on his first great voyage from 1768-1771.

I seem to remember someone mentioning a family link to Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, Civil War hero and former governor of Massachusetts. Not true.

All conjecture aside, my sources confirm that the Banks family name, like many others with immigrant roots has evolved from its original form, due to mispronunciations, and abbreviations.

Just take a look at my lineage back into the Banks side of the family:

Stephen Ray Enyeart (b: 1966)   >   Walter Ray Enyeart (1929 - 2003)   >   Mary Almyra Banks (1906 - 1977)   >   Willus David Banks (1872 - 1943)   >   David Irish Banks (Henry's brother) (1836 - 1918)   >   Nathan O. Banks, Jr.  (1796 -1849)   >   Nathan Oysterbanks  (1769-1850)   >   Johann Jacob Heisterbach (1706 -1763)   >   Johann Niclas Heisterbach (1657 -1710)   >   Melchior Heisterbach (1630-1702)   >   Ciriacus Heisterbach (1587-?)

Gerow Cemetery, New Fairfield, CT
"Nathan O. Banks, Jr. / 4 of 10th mo. 1849 /
aged 53 ys. 2 dys. " 

Nathan Sr. adapted the "Oysterbanks" surname at some point for reasons unknown. Perhaps someone taught Nathan Sr. how to write his name, based on the closest English translation they could muster. Nathan Jr. (Henry's father) shortened it to O. Banks, as it appears on his gravestone in Fairfield, Connecticut. I have seen it in census records as O'Banks as well. 

The original Banks lineage geographically originates from Germany's Rhineland region, near the Rhine River Gorge, not far from the city of Weisbaden. The origin of the Heisterbach surname is up for debate, however, there is a famous landmark called Heisterbach Abbey which is near Konigswinter, between Weisbaden, and Cologne. Perhaps there is  some connection way back in old German Catholic Church records. 

The ruins of Heisterbach Abbey

Take note above, of the year that Johann Niclas Heisterbach passed away, and read my passage about the POOR PALATINES. His wife, mother of Johann Heisterbach died just months before her husband. If the dates are correct, these events left Johann Jacob Heisterbach an orphan at the age of four or five. (See his date of birth) These are the small details that sometimes lead to big stories, which clarify our heritage.