User-submitted Reference

a) As far as it is investigated by my family genealogist it started in a village called Betviler.

b) The family has immigrated in a few waves in 3 major directions: USA, Yugoslavia and South Africa in different periods of 18th century to 20th century.

- In the USA, they first landed in Lompoc California where they built the mansion, Fabing McKay spanne house 207 N L St Lompoc, CA 93436

- Most of the family stayed in France and spread all over the country but the main base stayed in Lorraine county which was at that time a part of the German empire (today France).

c) It started as a 100% German-blood ancestry, but through time got mixed with French, English, Irish, Scottish, Danish etc.

d) In the old Kingdom of Croats, Serbs and Slovenians (later known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and after WWII, the Socialistic Republic of Yugoslavia), Fabings moved from Betwiller in France to the small city of Apatin, in the local county region called "Vojvodina" (today a part of Serbia but in the past was part of Croatia).

e) The Fabing family started as blacksmiths in Betwiller and later in 15th and 16th century were well known blacksmiths for the German and French nobility. That is why word "Fabing" when translated means something like the English derivation of last name "Smith" or "BlackSmith".

f) The Fabing family received a cost of arms since in 1645 with typical motifs of horse shoes and horses.

g) In the early 16th century the Fabing family was also known for making pianos and church pipe organs. Today we have many of these pipe organs in many Catholic churches in Europe, especially in Croatia. Most of these churches are historical monuments, together with these church organs.

Sadly this practice is lost in the family and the last know church organ and piano builders had died by the end of 2nd World War.

f) Germany has at least 5 families living in the Ulm and Stuttgart area, with the last name Fabing. Croatia has 4 but slowly dying because all new generations are females and losing their maiden name upon marriage.

g) The Fabing last name exist in Denmark, Norway, Belgium.

e) The ones mentioned in China on your charts are not related. They have another derivation of this last name and have no connection to our family.

f) The families in USA, Canada, South America are relatives. This last name is very unique and everyone holding last name Fabing (no derivations) are true relatives. When we investigated the origins of many families mentioned in USA, Canada, Scandinavia, France, Germany and Croatia we all connected to our great-grandfathers (3 or 5 brothers who lived in 1700s and decided to move out of Germany to the American continent, around Europe and even South Africa, to spread their work with church organs and pianos).

g) Todays best knows Fabing is American-Jesuit priest, Bob Fabing, who is a composer and founder of many charity organizations in the US.