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Latin word Albanus, which means white. Alber was originally a name from the many places in Italy and elsewhere called Alba. The nickname was usually given to someone who was fair in complexion or blond haired. The name originated in Alsace, where the Alber family played an integral part in the social, economic and political development of the region. In medieval times, when land proprietorship and management were the sole source of wealth and power, the Alber family became members of the gentry.
The surname Alber was first found in Alsace, where the family made a considerable contribution to the feudal society which shaped modern Europe. The family branched into several houses, all of which played an important role in the local political conflicts which forged the nation. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include C. Alber in Reutlingen, 1360, and Dietlin Alber in Tyrol, 1394.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alber research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1396, 1595 and 1717 are included under the topic Early Alber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Alber include Albe, Alb, Alber, Alba, Allbe, Allbes and others.
Notables with the name Alber during this period were
In the United States, the name Alber is the 13,871st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Alber were among of the early German families that came to North America: