A West Prussian Mennonite family name, Cornelsen is not clearly distinguishable in its variants in the past centuries. The origin of all the forms of the name is the personal name Cornelis (Cornelius, Knels). The first mention of the name is in 1595 at Schönsee (Sosnovka), in 1611 at Freienhuben, and in 1678 in the Danzig Mennonite Church record. It appeared in Frisian, Flemish, and Old Flemish congregations. The families in the Vistula Valley and their descendants mostly adopted the form Knels. In 1776, 20 families of this name lived in West Prussia (without Danzig), and in 1935 (including Elbing) 44 persons. Members of these families moved to Poland, Russia, and North America. The name has appeared principally among the Mennonite Brethren in Kansas, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Oklahoma, and among the Mennonites of Mexico.

Johann Cornies of South Russia was the most outstanding representative of the family. Another outstanding leader and educator was Philip Cornies of the same territory. Abraham Cornelsen was one of the founders of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Russia. The Cornelsen form of the name has been the most common.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 715. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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