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Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Althaus. In the German provinces, hereditary surnames were adopted after the 12th century, and names that were derived from localities became increasingly widespread. 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 preposition is frequently dropped from surnames of this type. The Althaus family originally lived in an ancient dwelling or a very old house. The name Althaus is derived from the German words alt, which means old, and haus, which means house. There is also a place in Germany called Althaus and thus, this surname may have been given to a person that was from this town.
The surname Althaus was first found in Muensterland, Westphalia, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. Chronicles first mention Conradus de Oldenhus, a family in Muenster, in 1353.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Althaus research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1556 and 1637 are included under the topic Early Althaus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
One 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 Althaus include Althaus, Althausen, Althous, Althousen, Althouse, Althausens, Althaussen, Althusen, Althussen, Oldehus, Oldenhus, Alshaus, Allshouse, Allshaus, Althuyzer, Althäuser and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Althaus Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many 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: