Origin
Alt : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from alt ‘old’ typically applied as a distinguishing epithet to the older of two bearers of the same personal name. It is also found in some central European countries for example in Czechia and Slovenia often as a translation into German of corresponding Slavic surnames.2: English (East Midlands): variant of Allt possibly a shortened form of Allott from the Middle English female personal name Alot (Old French Aalot) a pet form of Alice see Allis.
Alders : 1: English: variant of Alder 1 with either plural or excrescent -s.2: Dutch: patronymic from the personal name A(a)ldert which is from ancient Germanic Adelhard composed of the elements adel ‘noble’ + hard ‘hardy’.3: German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with alt ‘old’.
Alker : 1: South German: variant of Alger.2: English: habitational name from Altcar Lancashire. This name means ‘marshland by the River Alt’ from Old Norse kjarr ‘marsh’ and the river name Alt.
Altemus : Altered form of South German Altmoos or of its variant Altemoos: topographic name meaning ‘old swamp’ or ‘old fen’ from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + mōs ‘swamp fen’ for someone living near swampy land. The surnames Altmoos and Altemoos are very rare in Germany. Compare Altemose and Altimus.
Altenhofen : German: topographic name for a person from a place near an old farmstead from an inflected form of Middle High German alt ‘old’ + hof ‘farm manor farm’ or a habitational name from a place so named.
Alter : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): distinguishing epithet for the older of two bearers of the same personal name.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Alter an inflected form of alt ‘old’. This was in part an omen or well-wishing name expressing the parents’ hope that the child would live a long life; in part a protective name given to a child born after the death of a sibling but also said to have sometimes been assumed by someone who was seriously ill. The purpose is supposed to have been to confuse the Angel of Death into thinking that the person was old and so not worth claiming as a victim.3: German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with alt ‘old’.
Altergott : German: probably a topographic name derived from alt ‘old’ + Middle Low German kote ‘day laborer's or small farmer's house’.
Althen : German: variant of Althenn a nickname composed of Middle High German alt ‘old’ + Henne a pet form of the personal name Johann.
Althoff : German (mainly Westphalia): habitational name for someone who lived at the ‘old farmstead’ after distribution of the estate from Middle Low German olt alt ‘old’ + hof ‘farmstead manor farm’; compare Olthoff.
Altig : German: probably from a short form (Aldico) of an ancient Germanic personal name composed with alt ‘old experienced’. Compare Altic.
Altmeyer : German: status name for an older steward headman or tenant farmer as distinguished from a younger one from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + meier ‘steward headman tenant farmer’ (see Meyer).
Auckland : English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from Bishop Saint Helen or West Auckland (Durham) whose name is recorded as Alclit Alclet in the 12th century. It contains Old Welsh or Cumbric alt ‘slope cliff’ + an early form of the river name Clyde. The name has been altered through Scandinavian influence in various ways culminating in the guise of auka-land ‘increased extra land’.
Elting : Dutch and German: habitational name from any of several farms so named once belonging to a certain Elto and his kin. Elto is an ancient Germanic personal name based on the element alt ‘old’.
Figueras : Catalan: habitational name from a town called Figueres in Alt Empordà Girona Catalonia.
Olthoff : North German and Dutch (northeastern Netherlands): habitational name for someone who lived at the ‘old farmstead’ after distribution of the estate. From Middle Low German olt alt ‘old’ + hof ‘farmstead manor farm'. See Althoff.
Outcalt : Perhaps an altered form of German Altgeld a nickname for a miser or money changer from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + geld ‘money’.
Quarto : Italian:: 1: from the personal name Quarto from Latin Quartus meaning ‘fourth’ a name given to a fourth son.2: habitational name from any of numerous places so named throughout Italy for example Quarto d'Altino in Venezia and Quarto in Naples.
Riba : 1: Catalan: topographic name for someone who lived on the bank of a river or the shore of a lake riba (from Latin ripa) or a habitational name from La Riba a town in Alt Camp Tarragona or any other place called with this word.2: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Ryba ‘fish’.
Rosas : 1: Spanish and Portuguese: habitational name from any of numerous places called Las Rosas or a topographic name from the plural of rosa ‘rose’ (see Rosa). Compare De Rosas.2: Catalan: Castilianized form of Roses a habitational name from Roses a town in L'Alt Empordà Catalonia.3: Italian (Sardinia): habitational name from Rosas a place in the province of Cagliari. Compare De Rosas.
Sires : 2: Catalan (Sirés): variant of Cirés a habitational name from a town in l'Alt Berguedà district.3: Catalan (Sirès): variant of Cirès a habitational name from a town in l'Alta Ribagorça district.1: English: variant of Siers.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
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