Alp
One-Name Study

Topics

• About the Alp One-Name Study
• Variants
• Origin of the surname
• Historical occurrences
• Frequency of the name
• Distribution of the name
• Data
• DNA project
• Contact Details

About the Alp One-Name Study

Research into the ALP group of names is part of a wider study of the surname ULPH and its variants. This began in 1978 and was registered with the Guild of One-Name Studies in 1983. We aim to bring together holders of the names and their descendants through correspondence, newsletters and occasional clan gatherings.

Variants

ALPE, ALPS and ALPH.

Origin of the surname

The surnames are part of a group of names that seem to have originated in the parish of Burnham Ulph, now part of Burnham Market, Norfolk. Before the acquisition of surnames, ULF (Old Norse for 'wolf') was a common name among the Saxons and Vikings of northern Europe. One of these gave his name to Burnham Ulph. The earliest known record of the spelling ALPE as a surname is 1281, and the earliest ALP is 1397 - both were in Norfolk.

Historical occurrences

The ALPE family of mid-west Norfolk were prominent farmers and landowners in the 16th-19th centuries. Several are commemorated on monuments in the church of Little Fransham, west of Dereham. A branch of this family moved to the area of south-east Norfolk/north-east Suffolk in the 17th century and became established there as ALP. The ALPS variant derived from two families, one ALPE and one ALP, who settled in Cambridgeshire and County Durham in the 19th century.

Frequency of the name

Currently there are approximately 300 ALPs, 200 ALPEs, 90 ALPSes and 10 ALPHEs (including spouses) of British origin known to be living in the world.

Distribution of the name

By far the majority are still in England, although there are significant numbers of ALP and ALPS in Australia and ALPE in New Zealand.

Data

Data held includes births, baptisms, adoptions, marriages, deaths, burials, wills, census entries, soldiers documents, trade directories and court records. Most of these are British records, but the study is worldwide and new information and contacts are always welcome. A twice-yearly newsletter, ULPH Family News is issued free of charge to anyone with an interest in our names. The official ULPH FAMILY HISTORY book was published in hardback in 2005.

DNA project

A DNA project for the name ULPH and its variants, which include ALP, ALPE and ALPS, was begun in August 2008. At present testing is confined to Y-DNA, for males only. For further details, email the address below.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mr Colin A Ulph
281 Upper Shoreham Road,
Shoreham-By-Sea,
West Sussex
BN43 6BB
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 18 August 2008.

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Profiles of other one-name studies registered with the Guild may be found here.