Show ContentsAndlau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

  • Origins Available:
  • France
  • Germany
Andlau Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Andlau

What does the name Andlau mean?

The ancient German region of the Rhineland was the original home of the ancestors of the Andlau surname. Andlau was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, and they often attached the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from," to the surname. Often, the use of "von" was a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common style of German hereditary surname. Andlau was a name for someone who lived in the Alsace region, particularly around the city of Strasbourg.

Early Origins of the Andlau family

The surname Andlau was first found in the Rhineland, where the family name is considered to have made an early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development in Europe. The Andlau family became prominent in the local affairs of the Alsace region, particularly in the area of Strasbourg. They branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, as each group sought power and status in an ever-changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Andlau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Andlau research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1676 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Andlau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Andlau Spelling Variations

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 Andlau include Andlau, Andlaw, Anndlaw, Andlauer, Annlaw, Anlau and others.

Early Notables of the Andlau family

  • Georg Andlau, who was the first rector of the University of Basel

Andlau migration to the United States+

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Andlau, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Andlau Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jacques Andlau, who settled in Philadelphia in 1855

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