Find out how popular the last name Ahlefeld is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ahlefeld.

Ahlefeld, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ahlefeld surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ahlefeld in America

Ahlefeld is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ahlefeld surname appeared 124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ahlefeld.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ahlefeld to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ahlefeld

The surname Ahlefeld is of German origin, with roots dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of present-day Germany, particularly in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. The name is derived from the Old Saxon words "ahl" meaning meadow or pasture, and "feld" meaning field, suggesting that the earliest bearers were likely associated with agricultural lands or settlements near meadows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ahlefeld can be found in the Liber Census Daniae, a Danish census record from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Alenfeld." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spellings had not yet been established. Over time, the name evolved to its modern form, Ahlefeld.

In the 14th century, the Ahlefeld family gained prominence as landowners and noblemen in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Notable figures include Gottschalk Ahlefeld (1328-1398), a knight and military commander who fought in the wars between Denmark and the Hanseatic League. His son, Johann Ahlefeld (1360-1425), served as a trusted advisor to the Danish King Eric VII.

During the Renaissance period, the Ahlefeld family branched out into various professions and disciplines. Hans Ahlefeld (1492-1568) was a renowned scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Wittenberg and contributed to the Protestant Reformation. His nephew, Detlev Ahlefeld (1512-1580), was a successful merchant and shipowner based in the city of Lübeck.

In the 17th century, the name Ahlefeld gained further prominence through the exploits of Joachim Ahlefeld (1592-1663), a Danish statesman and military leader who played a significant role in the Thirty Years' War. His son, Frederik Ahlefeld (1623-1686), followed in his footsteps and served as a diplomat and governor of the Danish territories.

Throughout the centuries, the Ahlefeld name has been associated with various notable figures, including Johann Ahlefeld (1646-1723), a German composer and organist; Friedrich von Ahlefeld (1774-1853), a Prussian general and military reformer; and Ernst Ahlefeld (1814-1891), a German painter and illustrator.

The surname Ahlefeld continues to be prevalent in Germany and other parts of Northern Europe, carrying a rich legacy of historical significance and contributions across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ahlefeld

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ahlefeld.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ahlefeld was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ahlefeld has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ahlefeld was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ahlefeld, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!