Allten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The German surname Allten emerged in the lands that formed the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval Saxon dukedom. The name Allten, which is a local surname, reveals that the original bearer of the name once lived, held land, or was born in this beautiful region of Lower Saxony. In the Holy Roman Empire, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules and after the 12th century, names that were derived from localities became increasingly widespread. Local names originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the bearer of the name was an aristocrat. However, in modern times, the von is frequently dropped from the surname.

Early Origins of the Allten family

The surname Allten was first found in Brunswick, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. The Alten name belongs to one of the oldest recorded noble families of this region; they appeared in chronicles as early as 1183.

Early History of the Allten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allten research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1764 and 1840 are included under the topic Early Allten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Allten Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Alten, Allten, Altenn, Altens, Alltens, Alltenns and others.

Early Notables of the Allten family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Allten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Allten family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: G.N. Alten, who arrived in San Francisco in 1852; John Alten, age 56; settled in America in 1709 with his wife and 4 daughters.

The Allten Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sola nobilitat virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue alone ennobles.