Surname Adlof - Meaning and Origin

Adlof: What does the surname Adlof mean?

The last name Adlof is of German and Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It is a variant of Adler, which is derived from the German word "Adler" meaning "eagle". This name was likely given to people who lived near or were associated with eagles, such as those who lived near eagles’ nests. The name may also have originated from traders, hunters, or warriors who were thought to possess the same qualities of strength, courage, and determination as an eagle.

The numerous variations of the name also suggest that the name Adlof has been around for centuries. It is believed to have taken many forms when it was adopted, such as Adalhoff, Adeloff, Adalof, Adlof, and other similar variants.

Today, one of the most notable people to bear the name is Nobel laureate Ferid Adlof Murad, a Turkish–American physician and pharmacologist. Other famous individuals who share the name include British–American business magnate John Adlof, German choral conductor and composer Herbert Adlof, and Brazilian artist Walter Adlof.

It is clear that the name has a rich and varied history, and has been borne by people of all walks of life throughout centuries. Despite its earlier association with hunting and eagle-related activities, the name Adlof is now associated with those who have achieved great things for themselves and their societies.

Adlof: Where does the name Adlof come from?

The surname Adlof is common in Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and other parts of Central and Northern Europe. Specifically, it has been found in Germany and the Netherlands in the highest frequency.

Apart from Europe, Adlof is found mainly in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau in 2020, Adlof is the 10,853rd most common surname in the country. The highest concentration of people bearing this surname can be found in New York and Pennsylvania, where it is ranked in the top 1,000 surnames. Some of the earliest instances of Adlof in the United States were found in the late 19th century, specifically in the states of New York and Pennsylvania.

The Adlof family has also migrated to other countries, including Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

The Adlof surname is believed to be of Germanic origin. It is thought to have been derived from the personal name "Adalwolf", a combination of two Old High German words meaning “noble” and “wolf”, respectively. Records show that early bearers of the name married into prominent families, suggesting they held a high social status in their respective communities.

Today, the Adlof name is spread across several countries in Northern and Central Europe, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

Variations of the surname Adlof

Adlof is a German surname that has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Adelof, Adalhoff, Adaloff and Adelhoff are some of the different spellings that come from this surname. The surname also has variants that come from Low German and Old German, such as Adolahf, Adlahf and Adalhauf.

Adlof can be interpreted to mean 'noble wolf' from Old German, suggesting this name was likely given to someone who was noble, fierce or courageous. This surname is especially prevalent in Germany, where it is a common surname.

The English interpretation of Adlof is Adolph, a very common first and last name in America and other English-speaking countries. The more common spelling for Adolphin is Adolf, but the two names essentially mean the same thing.

In Norway, the surname Adlof is written as Adeloff. The variant name Adahlof is present in Denmark, derived from the Old Norse root adal meaning 'noble'. In Sweden, the surname is written as Adelöf.

These spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin suggest that the Adlof surname is a very old and established one, present in many different parts of the world and in many different languages.

Famous people with the name Adlof

• Adolf Hitler: the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and the most infamous dictator of the 20th century.
• Adolfo Kaminsky: a Holocaust survivor and forger who used faked documents to smuggle thousands of Jews and others out of Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
• Adolf Eichmann: the logistical architect of Nazi Germany’s “final solution” (the extermination of Europe’s Jewish population) during the Holocaust.
• Adolfo Celi: an Italian actor best known for appearing in some of the James Bond films.
• Adolfo Lopez Mateos: the president of Mexico from 1958 to 1964.
• Adolf Ziegler: a German painter and president of the Reich Chamber of Fine Arts during the Nazi era.
• Adolf Ludendorff: a German general and one of the leading military figures of World War I.
• Adolfo Constanzo: a Mexican drug dealer and cult leader who was responsible for the murder of dozens of people in the late 1980s.
• Adolfo Suarez: the Spanish statesman who became the nation’s first democratically elected prime minister after the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975.
• Adolf Dygasinski: a Polish-Canadian film director best known for his 1967 feature film “Carol of the Bells”.

Other surnames