Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump. Sheesh.
It’s bad enough being subjected to the surreal world of Republican politics (constant warmongering, fear and resentment of women and minorities, efforts to restrict voting and block social programs, denial of science, etc. etc.) without having to endure the spectacle of egotistical gasbag Donald Trump dominating the news.
Even the man’s name bothers me. Trump, as in the trump card in a game of bridge. It seems so contrived, so artificial. It annoys me no end.
Well, I finally got motivated enough to research the Trump name. As you already may know, the name Trump is both real and manufactured.
The Donald’s grandfather, Friedrich Drumpf, legally changed his name to Frederick Trump in 1892 when he became a U.S. citizen.
The German word for “trump” is “trumpf,” and it means the same thing as in English. Noun: der trumpf = trump card; verb: trumpfen = to play a trump card. Friedrich was becoming an American, so he adopted the English version.
How we got from Friedrich Drumpf to Donald John Trump is an interesting story.
——————
Friedrich Drumpf
Friedrich Drumpf (1869-1918) was a native of Kallstadt, Germany. He arrived in New York City in 1885 at age 16. He found work as a barber, and for six years, he shared a small apartment with his sister and brother-in-law.
In 1891, at 22, Friedrich decided to go west to seek his fortune. He moved to Seattle and opened a small late-night restaurant that catered to the clientele of the local saloons, brothels, and opium dens.
It was there in 1892 that Drumpf became Frederick Trump, a naturalized U.S. citizen.
When the Klondike Gold Rush began, Trump left the red-light district and moved to the edge of town, where he opened a new eatery to serve the thousands of fortune-seekers on their way to the gold fields.
In 1898, he and a partner followed the gold rush north to British Columbia. They set up a tent on the heavily-traveled Dead Horse Trail and served hot meals to the prospectors.
Business was so good that they moved to a two-story building in the boom town of Bennett and opened the New Arctic Restaurant and Hotel. The building, it is said, loomed tall among a sea of tents.
The New Arctic was the best facility around, offering unaccustomed luxuries: excellent accommodations, a saloon that never closed, and a restaurant featuring a wide range of game, fish, fowl, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
When a new railroad bypassed Bennett, Trump relocated to Whitehorse, a larger boom town, and opened the Whitehorse Restaurant and Inn. The new facility was open around the clock and served 3,000 meals a day.
In 1901, after gold was discovered in Alaska and the wave of prospectors surged west, Trump cashed out. He sold his Canadian investments and returned to Germany. He was 32 and a successful businessman with cash aplenty.
In 1902, he married Elizabeth Christ, a childhood friend from Kallstadt. They returned to New York City and bought a home in Queens. Their son Fred was born there in 1905.
Trump Sr. was just 49 when he died of pneumonia during the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918.
Fred C. Trump
Soon after his father’s death, 15-year-old Frederick Christ Trump (1905-1999) went into the real estate and construction business with his mother. Their company, Elizabeth Trump & Son Co., grew steadily in the post-WWI years.
During the 1920s and 30s, Trump focused on building affordable single-family houses in Brooklyn and Queens. He was a perfectionist who insisted on using quality materials. He supervised his work crews closely.
In 1936, Fred married Mary Ann MacLeod from Scotland, whom he met when she was in New York on vacation. They had five children. Fred sometimes took the children with him on inspection tours of his properties.
Always the frugal businessman, Trump was known to save unused nails, mix his own floor cleaner, and personally handle the extermination work at some properties.
Occasionally, the company released balloons at Coney Island containing coupons for $50 off the $4,990 purchase price of a Trump home.
During WWII, Trump built housing developments for U.S. Navy personnel near the large East Coast shipyards.
After the war, he built middle-income homes for returning veterans and their families. His Beach Haven development had 2,700 apartments. Trump Village had 3,800.
Over the next decades, the company expanded into rental properties. By the time Donald joined the company in 1968, Fred Trump had built over 27,000 low-income apartments in Brooklyn and Queens and was worth about $300 million.
In 1999, Fred died of pneumonia, as had his father. For six years prior to his death, he had suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Fred Trump chose not to follow his father into the restaurant and hotel business. Instead, he made his mark building affordable housing for lower and middle class New Yorkers.
But, as Donald wrote in his 1987 book The Art of the Deal, the profit margins in his father’s business were small, and “I had loftier dreams and visions.”
When Donald struck out on his own, Fred was content to continue focusing on Brooklyn and Queens, and he willingly ceded Manhattan to his son.
Today, Donald’s real estate holdings include Trump Place in Manhattan ($3 million condos), Trump Palace Condominiums on the Upper East Side (“The definitive uptown standard of luxury”), Trump Park Avenue (120 luxury condos, including a $35 million penthouse), and a boatload more.
That, and he’s an egotistical gasbag running for President.
——————
I’m not implying that Friedrich and Fred are responsible for how the Donald turned out. Whether we become a hero, a scoundrel, or somewhere in between is of our own making.
And, as for the name thing, immigrants routinely change their names when they come to America.
In fact, if I were Engelbert Farquhar, fresh off the boat from the old country, I probably would seize the opportunity and change my name to Errol Flynn.
Friedrich Drumpf
Fred C. Trump
Donald J. Trump
Mr. Write's Page 
Fascinating Rocky. I will admit though, I gasped audibly when I read “Mary Ann MacLeod”. MacLeod is the original spelling of my surname. My ancestors immigrated to South Georgia from Scotland. Crap, am I possibly related to this clown?
Thankfully, there are a LOT of MacLeods, so you have a good chance not to be.
Try joining this organization. They can help a lot in learning about your surname…
http://www.clanmacleod.org/
If you are, we won’t hold it against you.
Even his own blood brothers and sisters are not the same as him, this goes to show just because someone is related does not make them of same character, yes genetically related means nothing unless wealth inheritance is involved…
Hmmm. German ancestry, German hand gestures and egotistical, arrogant attitude, trying to rid America of what that Trumpf male doesn’t want around. Definitely can see a Hitler mustache on him at the podium, slamming his hands and demanding his way. What’s next? Get rid of Jews, Catholics, ethnic cleansing? And now, we hear, that his bodyguard punches someone for airing their views. Sounds like Gestapo to me. Hope Americans are not as gullible as those in pre-WWII days. Incidentally, exactly what branches of the military has he or ANY of his relatives served in?
Since the Drumpfs moved to NYC to have Fred, that means that The Donald’s father was an “anchor baby”, right? [devil’s advocating, here]
(Applause, Laughter)
Actually, Freidrich Drumpf became a U.S. citizen in1892 (before he married). So Donald Duck’s (he is a quack, n’est pas?) daddy, Freddi, would not have been an anchor baby.
Let’s color Drumpf’s hair color black, put “the” black mustache of the original anti-Christ on his upper lip and concentrate on the hand gestures of the egotistical, manicial GOP candidate, highlighted by his inability to listen to anyone else, let alone answer questions regarding current political issues (ignorant, to say the least) and remember the horrifying past caused by such a tyrant. The hypnonitic effect that Drumpf followers seem to have from this male (definitely not a man – I’ve met a few and Drumpf is most definitely NOT ANYTHING CLOSE TO BEING ONE!) and the result is terrifying! Patriots out there? Please? Anyone? Look at this evil person, don’t be blind or fooled. Very few of us are not the result of immigrants; yet he/”It” is going to deny not just Mexicans, but Canadians from entering our country? Build a wall? Really? In God’s name, listen, watch, don’t be fooled by this arrogant individual. He is dangerous to the welfare of America and remember what is written on the Statue of Liberty and support that!
I wholeheartedly concur! I too felt like we are dealing with a Hitler-like personality. His way or the highway. He wants to get rid of Mexicans, what then, blacks, etc. scary thought to have him dealing with world leaders with his attitude!
My final comment on this individual is this: “HE” will have his finger on the red button that decides on whether or not nuclear war is declared. Scarier, yet, Putin is at the other end with his own red button. Ego + Ego = German + Russian = a repeat of history and the distinct possibility of WW III. Is the American public really that naive that they are overlooking this? I don’t know about those reading this, but how many of your fathers and fore-fathers fought for the right of freedom from repression? THINK about all the lives lost in the name of American freedom and get rid of this vulture waiting to claim the White House. “DUMP TRUMP and his tower!”
Oh, by the way, how much of your tax dollars are you willing to spend on the renovation of the White House that WILL take place in order to placate the maniacal cravings of this male should he (God, help us!) win the election?
Really? Hitler? As the extremely abstract and poorly founded comments fly, so too does the credibility of those making them. I’m a believer that references to something as horrific as Hitler shouldn’t be further dignified through continued mention; even in a negative context. It is clear, the country being run by the stream of many politically correct life long politicians is not working. The status quo is killing the middle class and promoting a savage like existence for those that are poor. It will eventually get so bad for so many people, equality among all will seem to be the best solution (communism/fascism). The fall of the American empire and the Western way of life hangs in the balance.
Someone, be it Trump or other, please make America great again. Love him or hate him, at least he’s rattling those feeling entitled to run the country.
His first ex-wife said he was a student of Hitler’s work. His Wiki bio has been altered since last year and says the name was changed centuries ago. I’ve never feared for the American dream of liberty and justice for all. I;m Native American and WASP. We’ve been here a long, long time and KNOW WHAT THE AMERICAN DREAM MEANS BEYOND NEW MONEY EXPLOITATION. I call all those who support Donnie Drumpf AMERICAN BROWNSHIRTS..
Charlene – I being of native blood, as well as a warrior for this country..must admit Disgust and Outright Indignation for Trump not at least letting the core of engineers re-route the North Dakota pipeline so as to not go under the river endangering the indigenous native’s water supplies there, as well as other sites across native lands in the U.S., as well as fracking rights violations, crossing privitized lands, oil well water contamination and the whole water and earthquake danger thing which increases risks to children in school zones unnecessarily causing war-like zones right here in our own country is something that truly is worth protesting against! That, although admittedly I feel Trump is needed badly to straighten out our country,.. is something that really bothers me also. I REALIZE HE IS GUNG-HO ABOUT GETTING US SUPPLYING OUT OWN OIL AND EVEN USING OUR STEEL FOR THOSE PIPELINES BUT THERE ARE SAFER WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AND HE SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY CONCESSIONS REGARDLESS OF THE COST! SO.. yes, I surely understand your feelings and emphasize with you that he is not protecting our interests at all there. (Just want to say I might be a bit red,..but I usually wear a “tan”shirt.. how did color get in this anyhow? All shirts are different colors just like all people are.so what? ) Now.. “Rocky S. also a bit of trivia for you. The term when someone changes their surname is called anglication and many other immigrants did what Trump’s family did coming to the U.S.,.. either right away or later! A fine example of this is ELVIS PRESLEY whose relative changed their last name from PRESSER to PRESLEY during the Civil war! I found this on the celebrity page of genealogy on “GENA” just after coming over to your social site through the link you had posted at the bottom of your “Trump page” to get more info – that I didn’t know was going to be so hippocritical..and “sour sounding” since the original article on Gena was so well written evidently by you…(Thought I was still on the Gina site when I arrived here! – NUF SAID)… May still consider signing up with Gena since I know now you are a different site and they are most likely not so biased towards our POTUS Whom we should all at least show some respect for, as like it or not – God did make sure he became our “Commander in Chief” for what will likely become 8 years instead of 4 – if the stupid media would just lay off harassing him and let him continue to keep his campaine promises like he is working hard at doing! Don’t you folks understand that he is proving he is an honest man and that he is working really hard to truly make our country great again – and that he really doesn’t need the money? Think about it..His living quarters far exceed the White House! He and his family have actually down-graded in order to serve us! If there are lost souls – You are. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES!.. RIGHT NOW – MOST OF US ARE BETTER OFF THAN WE WERE!. SADLY THOUGH, THE NATIVE AMERICANS ARE PRESENTLY THE ONLY ONES PAYING A HUGE TOLL – THIS WARRIOR SINCERELY HOPES AND IS PRAYING THAT CHANGES ALSO! – (A VET FOR TRUMP.)
Dear Donald Defender–If God made sure Donald Drumpf took the WH it was to let us know how disappointed God is with us…WATER IS LIFE. TO THE DONALD–JUST ANOTHER COMMODITY TO BE OWNED, JUST LIKE US. If you don’t have any buyer’s remorse the other 75% us do. YOU’RE A MINORITY AND SOME HUMILITY ON HIS PART WOULD BE REFRESHING. I don’t get how anyone of color could support HIM and his overt racism. I don’t get how anyone with ovaries could vote for him. He’s a “really bad dude.” Too bad we can’t deport HIM! SAD…
Bernie 2016
ALLAHU AKBAR! THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION! VERY USEFUL. SIMPLE SOLUTION…
Do not vote him or republicans.
Result:
NO WORLD WAR 3
i think the German/ Russian rivalry is unfounded. Putin has endorsed him and for good reason as the talk around the staff of his exhalted if poorly constructed buildings is that he is in the pocket of the Russian Mafia which now has deep tentacles in NYC. And across the river, the same is said about his new endorser CC who is said to have connections to the older Italian Mafia. They’d make a well placed pair, DD as PoTUS and CC as Attorney General. The Russians would be very happy. I think his worst trait is his history of bankruptcies, stiffing a lot of hard working Americans. There are more ways than one to make money in America.
You missed an important piece of Trump’s Genealogy. His father was a member of the KKK.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/28/in-1927-donald-trumps-father-was-arrested-after-a-klan-riot-in-queens/
Scotty
I am from Scotland and the Scottish people hate Donald Drumpf so much that
they had a petition of 500 thousand names to prevent him from entering the
country again. He put people out of their homes so that he could build a golf
course ha llike we need another golf course in Scotland.
The man if you can call him that is a moron.
I thought his grandfather Friedrich Drumph was Jewish who knows!!!!
The beautiful place his mother was from in Scotland and the people hate that he has any connection to them SAD!!!!!
Why don’t we ever see his sisters he has 2 one is a federal judge the other
works for Chase bank in Wall st.
Were they at the inauguration ? who knows maybe they don’t like him
either !!!!!!!!!!!!!
You have to admit he does look like a orange orangatang
he didn’t get the good looks like his brother who died.
Isabella: I have many Scottish ancestors on all sides of my family (many are Cameron, Donald, & Ross).
Scotland is beautiful, filled with smart, honorable, and GOOD decent people. That is probably why so many there despise him. He is a Narcissist, a con man, a liar, and a thief. Scots are smart enough to see his B.S. & dangerous lunacy for what they are; honorable enough to be disgusted by his actions; and decent & GOOD enough to find his racism, sexism, & childish behavior unacceptable.
Glad to hear about the petition. God Bless my Scottish kinfolk! So proud to be one of them, even though I am so far away!
HE IS FALSE
LOL!! wonderful comment about Donny Drumpf (trump)
This is a correction to my previous comment it was 250 thousand signatures
not 500 thousand my mistake.
Still an awful lot signatures. The Scottish people abhor him.
There’s more to this story that has been unearthed since you wrote it.
It turns out that Friedrich wanted to stay in Bavaria, but had dodged military service and was deported back to the United States. At the time of deportation, Elizabeth would have been about 5 months pregnant with Fred Trump.
http://www.dw.com/en/report-trumps-grandfather-pleaded-to-stay-in-germany/a-36465868
It’s worth pointing out that Fred Trump’s own birthright citizenship was a matter of luck by three months. In 1927, at age 22, he would be arrested in Queens during a KKK rally/riot for the rights of “Native-born Protestant Americans”. He was still living with Elizabeth at the time.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/28/in-1927-donald-trumps-father-was-arrested-after-a-klan-riot-in-queens/
true….their money from Friedrich Drumpf was from NO TAXES and PROSTITUTION……Grandpa, Fred, Donald Drumpf,kids Ivanka Kushner, Don Jr. and Eric still steal money for their father Donald Drumpf (Trump).
As far s Donald Drumpf (trump) is concerned…SAMM Tittle 2020 has checked the American Archives, and there is NO F Trump or D Trump listed…..Fred and Maryanne Drumpf (DONNYS DAD) did not take LEGAL American Citizenship when they came to America….and neither did Donald Drumpf (trump) at the age of 18….And Donald Drumpf (trump) was in Military DISCIPLINE School, not the Military….so his BONE SPURS story is also a lie.
SAMM Tittle 2020 @ GODs VISION John 9:39
SAMM is Acronym for: (S)aving (A)mericas (M)ajesty (GOD) for (M)illions!
SAMM Tittle will be President of America 2020….her real name is Sheila Tittle….
We are trying to get this ass out of office.