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Ahlf History
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Please visit the following site for extensive history on the area: http://www.v-roenn.de/Chronic0/chronic0.html Version 1.
Von Aleff to Ahlf As reported by Eugene Davis Ahlf of Oakland/Alameda family, it appears, but is still speculative, that among the FIRST settlers of Kehdingen Land, a "low country" like Holland, near Osten and Oderquardt and were the
Von Aleffs (meaning "from living water" or living near water or living from water or ??). They settled on dry islands in swampy lowlands near the Elbe River and North Sea where they began creating dikes to increase their lands until they eventually had diked off a very large area. The Von Aleff (or Von Alff) were early important folks. Then (around 1650? - 1700?) "robber barons", of the von der Decken families came and took power. The von Aleff (Alff) became Aleff (Alff) which is less prestigious. It is believed that they then settled in and became the farmer families that now populate this lowland farm and orchard lands area. There is also a possible link in the family crest from an arrow to the log/stump leaning to one side - speculation is that this coincided with change of fortunes for Von Aleff to Aleff, losing power and becoming farmers. This may be true but in any event is interesting! Pronunciation seems to be as expected in German and not as many of us use in American. "
Awlf' is the German pronunciation. (Taken from notes in a letter from Brad Ahlf to Kent Ahlf in 1997) Version 2.
Swedish Heritage Another version comes from Horst Ahlf at the
Farkrug Inn of
Osten. He relates that family dates back to a Swedish Soldier who settled in Kehdinger Moor. His name was “Mayor Ahlfson”. Apparently Swedish soldiers were in the area and Mayor stayed in 1638. This is similar to story from August Ahlf of Hawaii (Schuttdamm Family). Per August, the family dates back to Germany about time of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden from 1594 to 1632. He invaded N. Germany at that time (1630 - 1632). Another recent report suggests that the Ahlf arrived in the Kehdiner Moor / Osten / Oederquardt area about 1700. "The Freudenberg, Stegemann and Ahlf folks lived on the east side of the Elbe river, south of Itzehoe and near Krempe and north of Pinneberg. This is north of Hamburg, Germany. About 1710-1735, they moved across the Elbe river to Kajedeich and Oderquart area. They married Raap, Bruemmerstede and Bremer folks." Link to Gustavus II Adolphus History: http://users.erols.com/lnorberg/GIIA.html I am open to all suggestion on this topic.
Version 3. von Aleff to Ahlf This version is the most thoroughly researched and is very believable. It was prepared in during the year 2008 by Peter Ahlf and suggests the family lived in the Kehdingen area as least as far back as around 1260. This is supported by a property sales document in the Archives in Stade. Following is an exerpt from a letter he sent me - The english version is a rough translation between Peter and I. The following is Origin of Family Ahlf as I have researched.
Some “leaps of faith” based on data have been included and explained: Two early
versions:
does not come from the Swedish!. Also a suggestion arriving
in Kehdingen from north of the Elbe River is wrong! Ahlf was already know by
1700.
Information from Peter: 1. There are historical records and reports of the Land Kehdingen back to the
year 800. Before that the family/tribe of “Chauken"
populated the area. At that time there was little solid ground.
The Elbe had various side arms and the country was constantly flooded
(FCnerschwemmt). Also sea levels were rising. The region consisted of various
islands and it was called Kehdingen Island Land. Around 800 the area pretty much
entirely conquered by the Saxon (Charles
the Great). "The local residents at that
time lived on "dwelling mounds" – sounds like small man-made islands.
Later, around 900 - 1000 ring dikes were
built around the various places. In the 10th & 11th century construction of a
continuous line of dikes through
Kehdingens for drainage and irrigation. Incidentally, Dutch people were brought
into the country for the construction.
With the new dike line settlement grew and people came from more distant places
like Weser-Raum and Friesland. During this time the dominant church was the
Archdiocese of Bremen Verden.
The practice of using a nickname and
surname evolved around year 1000 in Germany. The nobles at that time were using
surnames that usually had evolved from
the name of their home. Remember also that at time High German was not in use
and the German spoken and written is today’s "flat German" very similar. Low
German documents today are very difficult for most Germans to read, unless one
has studied it. For example occurring in the country Kehdingen name von de
Dose - formerly "de Does," from the castle - formerly von Borch,
"from the sands” and Latin
“de arena", etc. When a nobleman
moved his residence, he changed his name, eg von Bremen to von Stade. You must
also not expect that the former nobles from Kehdingen lived in castles and
fortresses. 1. It was the low
nobility who there and 2.this nobility in Kehdingen did not have much
power. They lived mostly on small farms for crops or cattle which
represented their small wealth.
W.von Bargen and other authors such as Mushardt from the 18th century have
clearly established that the family "von Alff" was part of the old aristocracy
in Kehdingen Land. I am of the
view that the name "Ahlf" evolved over the
centuries, from the name von Alff, so that all"Ahlf”
from Kehdingen or Land Hadeln are related ancestor. This cannot be prove
at the moment and may not be possible, because many documents are missing. My family tree, which I believe is correct is as follows:
*1st* In the State Archives in Stade, which was the seat of government
for Kehdingen, I located an original certificate from 15.08.1291. This document
says that on this day a deed of sale of land from Johann von Blumenthal to John,
the son of Mechthild from Laak was completed. For us it is important that in the
document, as a witness, Henry von Alff, with additional "Aelvlete" is
listed. I.e. that the family “von Alff" existed in 1291. Further, if you
assume that Heinrich von Alff was not a child at this time, that establishes for
me that the family von Alff already existed around 1260, nearly 800 years ago. The authors of the books I read are in agreement that "von
Alff" should have a corresponding place “Alff”, i.e where Alff is from. I have
not been able to locate this place. William Ahlf indicated years before the
research was done that there was a location calledon Alffshorn out. I don’t
believe this is correct.
Johann von Alff married with Argard von der Brock. Johann von Alff, son of Johann married Christina von Mandelslo Gerhard von Alff, son of Johann
married Margaret von Eddenbüttel Adele von Alff, daughter of Gerhard married Claus von Hadeln
Mushard did not enter the years. If you look at other
information from Mushard, regarding old Kehdinger family dealings and the dates
of these, for example, the Family von der Brock, the people he mentions lived
approximately 1450 to 1530/40. However the proof is connecting these people to
the descendants of Heinrich von Alff from the year 1291 is missing.
The 2nd von Alff was Godele von Alff
who married Detlef Brummer of Bruchham.
The daughter of these two, namely Margaret Brummer later
married Claus von Ronne, senior from Altendorf.
Godele’s information also had no dates. My best guess is about 1510.
4. Mushard expects that by 1550 von Alff. I am not sure that
is true. The 16th century in northern Germany was not a very nice time, the
population was poor. Perhaps the family lost their land? Mushard mentions in his biography, only 1 child from each
family, for his purposes that was enough, but it was customary, at that time,
for families to have 10-12 children. Many did not survive, I doubt that the
entire von Alff family disappeard. See my additional comment in number five.
5. In Henry
Borstelmnann’s book, "Families in Kehdingen Land", in the year 1581, there were
3 persons with the name Aleff in the
parish Oederquardt: Hinrich, Borcherdt (Barthold, Joh Aleff. Are these
are the root of the various lines
that followed? Are they brothers? Who was
the father? Everything still unresolved on these questions! Still much work!
In 1663 there were 11 family already Kehdingen with the name "Aleff,
Alf." From HG Poppe, this data was confirmed the "Oederquarter Community
Chronicle" of 1955. Poppe’s evaluation was according to Treasury records (tax
lists, it already was) and muster rolls.
6. The evolution of Ahlf was fluid. I
have examined the Kirch books and names in Oederquart and Krummdike for
weddings. The names are there vary: Alf, Alfs, Ahlef, Alef Aleff and from 1800
on usually only Ahlf. In individual
cases, the names of father and son were entered differently. Also different
spelling for the same person were found.
This likely because most of these people did not read and write and there
were no written statements were. The names were written based on what the pastor
heard and his knowledge of the family. With the transition from low to high
German, the names changed again.
7. The coat of arms, which has been unclear for the family
Ahlf, has been confirmed by Mushard for the family von Alff. However, the von
Ahlf coat of arms is different, there something different. How it corresponded
to the zeitgeist.
Kent, This is what I tell you.
Actually, I wanted to send you the data on my personal ancestral line. But that
is too much for now. Maybe the next time. I
wish you and your family a happy and
healthy 2009. *
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