Adulf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Adulf

What does the name Adulf mean?

The surname Adulf is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It is derived from the Old German personal name Adalwuf, which is composed of the elements "adal," meaning "noble," and "wulf," meaning "wolf."

Early Origins of the Adulf family

The surname Adulf was first found in Kent, where the Adulf family was anciently seated as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. However, many Saxon surnames survived, and the family name Adulf was first referenced in the 13th century when the family held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Adulf family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adulf research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Adulf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adulf Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Adulf family name include Edolphe, Edolph, Edolp, Adolphe, Adolph, Adolf, Edolf, Edulf, Adulf and many more.

Early Notables of the Adulf family

More information is included under the topic Early Adulf Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adulf family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Adulf surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Isaac Adolphus, who settled in New York in 1758; Fred Adolf, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1802; Joseph Adolphe, who settled in Savannah, GA in 1820; Nathaniel Adolphus, who came to New York, NY in 1833.