Show ContentsArnholdt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Similar to many Austrian family names, the distinguished surname Arnholdt is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. Austria, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Otto I defeated the Magyars in 955. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Arnholdt family

The surname Arnholdt was first found in Austria, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs. Chronicles first mention Gregor Aroldt of Luetzen in 1504.

Early History of the Arnholdt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arnholdt research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1155, 1650, 1665, 1666, 1695, 1714, 1740, 1773, 1795 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Arnholdt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arnholdt Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Arnholdt include Arnold, Arnoldt, Arnolds, Arnol, Arnoll, Arnolle, Arnholdt (often in Saxony), Aroldt (Franconia), Arlt (Silesia) and many more.

Early Notables of the Arnholdt family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Arnholdt were Arnold, known as "Arnold of Brescia" (d.1155), an outstanding personality who challenged and condemned the temporal power of the Church and was executed; Christoph Arnold...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arnholdt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Arnholdt migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Arnholdt or a variant listed above:

Arnholdt Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johann George Arnholdt, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 1


  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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook