| ![Show Contents]() Altstadt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Altstadt. When hereditary surnames were adopted in this region, after the 12th century, names that were derived from localities were quite common. These "local" surnames 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 initial bearer of the name was an aristocrat. However, in modern times, the use of the preposition has often long since been dropped from use. The Altstadt family originally lived in one of the places named Alstadt or Alstätte. Literally, the name means "old town." There are many towns named Alstadt scattered throughout the German states. In the region of Saxony, on the Rhône river, there is an old town named Allstadt. This town existed during the medieval era and the historical documents that refer to this town date back to 777. There is also a town named Alstätte, on the northern tip of Germany. Early Origins of the Altstadt familyThe surname Altstadt was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation. Early History of the Altstadt familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Altstadt research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1638 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Altstadt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Altstadt Spelling VariationsOne can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Altstadt include Altstadt, Alstadt, Altstad, Alstad, Alsted, Alstede, Alstedt, Altstaedter, Altstaedt and many more. Early Notables of the Altstadt familyAnother 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Altstadt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Altstadt migration to the United States | + |
Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:
Altstadt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George Altstadt, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1853 1
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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Altstadt migration to the United States 
