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![Show Contents]() Alsted 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 Alsted. 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 Alsted 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 This town existed during the medieval era and the historical documents that refer to this town date back to 777.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 Alsted familyThe surname Alsted 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 Alsted familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alsted research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1638 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Alsted History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Alsted 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 Alsted include Altstadt, Alstadt, Altstad, Alstad, Alsted, Alstede, Alstedt, Altstaedter, Altstaedt and many more. Early Notables of the Alsted familyNotables of the period with the name Alsted were - Johann Heinrich Alsted (1588-1638), who wrote a valuable encyclopedia...
Migration of the Alsted familyMany 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: Anna Judith Alstadt, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1729; as did Martin Alstadt in the same year. Johann Michael Alstat came to Philadelphia in 1767; as well as Jost Allstatt in 1775. August Altstaedten came to Texas in 1845.
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