Albright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The historic region of Austria is the birthplace of the esteemed surname Albright. The name is derived from "Albright," a personal name of Teutonic origin, popular in various forms throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, meaning "illustrious." The surname was most likely first borne by the son of one called Albright.
Early Origins of the Albright family
The surname Albright was first found in Austria, 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.
The name was especially common throughout the Middle Ages owing to the fame of the holy Adalbert of Prague, the archbishop who was martyred in 997 while converting the tribes of Prussia. Albrecht I (1255-1308) was the King of Germany from 1298 to 1308. Albrecht II (1397-1439,) son of Duke Albrecht IV of Austria, was elected German King in 1438, returning the house of Habsburg to the imperial throne after a lapse of 132 years.
Albrecht III "the Pious" (1401-60) was the much-loved Duke of Bavaria, as was his son, Duke Albrecht IV "the wise." These kings and dukes contributed to the popularity of the name.
Early History of the Albright family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Albright research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1604, 1621, 1626, 1631, 1638, 1651, 1657, 1674, 1677, 1752, 1760 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Albright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Albright 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 Albright include Albrecht, Albrech, Allbrecht, Albrechs, Adalbert, Albert and many more.
Early Notables of the Albright family
During this period prominent bearers of the name Albright were Albrecht, Marschall von Rapperswil, who was a great Swiss nobleman and poet at the end of the 13th century. Among the many prominent mediaeval troubadours and poets with this name are: Albrecht von Eyb, Albrecht von Halberstadt, Albrecht von Johannsdorf, Albrecht von...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Albright Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Albright Ranking
In the United States, the name Albright is the 1,342nd most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 1
Albright 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 Albright or a variant listed above:
Albright Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joseph Albright, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1727 2
- John Albright, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1731 2
- Jacob Albright, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1732 2
- Johannes Albright, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
- Lodawick Albright, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Albright Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Peter Albright, aged 34, who landed in Missouri in 1844 2
- Augustus Albright, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1852 2
- Henry Albright, who landed in Arkansas in 1870 2
Albright migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Albright Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Mr. John Albright U.E., United Empire Loyalist who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 3
- Mr. Henry Albright U.E., United Empire Loyalist who arrived at Port Roseway, Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783, passenger number 351 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 off East River, New York 3
Albright migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Albright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Phoebe H. Albright, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Aden" in 1849 4
Contemporary Notables of the name Albright (post 1700) +
- Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright (1937-2022), born Marie Jana Korbelová, American politician, the first woman to become the United States Secretary of State
- David J. Albright (1960-2023), American football linebacker who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1986-1991)
- Christopher John Albright (b. 1979), retired American soccer player, member of various United States National Teams from 1999 to 2007
- William Charles "Bill" Albright (1929-2013), American CFL and NFL all-star lineman who played from 1951 to 1958
- Joseph P. Albright (1938-2009), American jurist on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from 1995 to 1996
- Joseph Medill Patterson Albright (b. 1937), American businessman and news publisher, former husband of Madeleine Albright
- John Joseph Albright (1848-1931), American businessman, philanthropist, co-benefactor of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo
- Jacob Albright (1759-1808), American Christian leader, founder of Albright's People
- Fuller Albright (1900-1969), American endocrinologist, known for his work in the field of calcium metabolism, son of John Albright
- Charlie Albright, American-born classical pianist, a Steinway artist, 2014 Avery Fisher Career Grant Recipient and 2010 Gilmore Young Artist (2010)
- ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Albright family +
USS Arizona
- Mr. Galen Winston Albright, American Seaman First Class from Indiana, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 5
Suggested Readings for the name Albright +
- The Albrights by Shannon D. Albright.
- Ancestry of Albright and Holt Families of Clay County, Missouri by Claribel Albright McClain.
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Aden from London via Plymouth Adealide Arriving September 12th 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849AdenRegister.htm
- Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html