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| Origins Available: |
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The name Alstadt comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from". It originally indicated land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Alstadt 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 This town existed during the medieval era and the historical documents that refer to this town date back to 777.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.
The surname Alstadt 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.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alstadt research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1638 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Alstadt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Alstadt include Altstadt, Alstadt, Altstad, Alstad, Alsted, Alstede, Alstedt, Altstaedter, Altstaedt and many more.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alstadt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: