Ahl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The surname Ahl is an occupational surname, derived from the Old German roots adel, which means noble, and mann, which means man. The surname identifies the bearer as a member of the nobility, which makes this a surname of office. This surname is associated with Swabia, a region in the southwest of Germany. The place name survives today only as the name for a mountain range running across the region where Swabia used to be. In the 1st century, Swabia was settled by the tribe of the Sueben who came from central Germany, and drove the Celts to Gaul (France). The Sueben prince Ariovist was defeated by Caesar in battle at Mulhouse, Alsace in 58 BC. Following the end of the Roman era, the Germanic Alemans from the north and the Bajuvaren from the east entered the region between 300 and 500 AD. They were in turn defeated by the Franks under Clovis in 496. The whole kingdom became eventually known as Alemannia. The dukedom of Swabia, formed in the 10th century, was ruled by the Hohenstaufen family from 1079, until they died out in 1268, when the counts of Wuerttemberg took control. Two other imperial dynasties also came from Swabia: theHapsburgs and the Hohenzollerns, who were the Kings of Prussia and the last German emperors until 1918. Today, the area is called Baden-Württemberg.

Early Origins of the Ahl family

The surname Ahl was first found in Swabia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region, whose family seat lay in the area of Ellwangen. Chronicles mention this family as early as 878, though the first individual to be recorded was Seyfried von Adelmannsfelden in 1236.

The variation Adel is known as early as 1189 where chronicles mention Adelo, a minister in Eichstaett. 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.

The Ahlers and Aler(s) variants were patronymic having been derived from "adal-hari," or "adel-leger." 1

Early History of the Ahl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ahl research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1687, 1728, 1790 and 1805 are included under the topic Early Ahl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ahl Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Adelmann, Adelman, Adellman, Adellmann, Adelmanns, Adellmanns and many more.

Early Notables of the Ahl family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ahl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ahl Ranking

In the United States, the name Ahl is the 17,903^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Ahl migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ahl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Augusta G. Ahl, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1893
Ebba Ahl, aged 2, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896

Ahl Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Arvid Ahl, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Gothenburg, in 1901
Anders Ahl, aged 22, who landed in America from Gothenburg, in 1901
Charles W. Ahl, aged 34, who landed in America, in 1904
Alois Ahl, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Graz, Austria, in 1907
Charles A. Ahl, aged 45, who immigrated to America, in 1908
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ahl (post 1700) +

Christoph Gustav Ernst Ahl (1898-1945), German zoologist
Boo Ahl (1969-2024), Swedish ice hockey goaltender

Citations +

Debrabandere, Frans Verklarend woordenboek van de familienamen in België en Noord-Frankrijk Grondig Herziene Uiitgave, 1993. Digital
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/