Olnhausen – a settlement of Ollan?

Around the year 260 AD the Alemanni overran the Limes. The names of the settlements in the area of Jagsthausen correlated with the names of the clan chiefs. The names were added with the ending „-ingen“ for instance Sintero –> Sindringen.

After the victory of Clovis over the Alamanni (496 AD) new places came into being distinguishable by the ending „-heim“ (Adelsheim, Rotigheim, ..). During the late Frankish colonization (7th / 8th century)  successive Franks founded new villages with the final syllables „-hofen“, „-weiler“ and „-hausen“. The settlement of Jagsthausen seems to be among the oldest, as it was in earlier times only mentioned as „Husen“ (derived from „Hausen“), while all the rest were given a surname as a qualifier. This is also true for the place Olnhausen. Presumably then, the place was named after a clan chief called Ollan (Ollanhusen -> Ollinhusen -> Ohlhusen -> Ohlhausen -> Olnhausen).

Olnhausen is first mentioned in 781 in a deed of gift (described in the Lorsch Codex) by which Sigemar of Ollanhusen gave all his possessions to the monastery of Lorsch. In the 12th Century the hamlet Olnhausen was given as a fiefdom to the sovereigns of Husen (Jagsthausen). When the dynasty of Husen became to extinct the exploitation right crossed over to the dynasty of Berlichingen. In 1806 Olnhausen became a part of the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg and thus independent. In 1972 Olnhausen was incorporated into Jagsthausen.

It is to assume, that all still living bearers of the name of Olnhausen are descendants of two brothers, Heinrich III. (1503 Vogt at Adolzfurt) and Jacob v. O. (since 1490 serving the city of Heilbronn as a mayor). At that time in late 15th Century the family was split up in the lines of Hohenlohe and Heilbronn.

The members of the stirps of Hohenlohe can be found from the beginning of the 16th until the beginning of the 19th Century in civil and military services for many more or less potent sovereigns in southwestern Germany and Austria. Members of the stirps of Heilbronn were in the 16th Century in the service of various imperial cities and the Duke of Württemberg. One branch was represented in the City Council of the city of Heilbronn at the end of the 16th Century. Many families are still to be found in various cities and towns in Württemberg, particularly in the small town Nordheim nearby the city of Heilbronn. Common ancestor of these families is Hans v. O. (1640-1699), who lived as a blacksmith and judge during the Thirty Years‘ War in Nordheim.

In the 19th Century there were several migrations to the United States and Ireland in the 20th Century also to Sweden and England. Due to the increased mobility in recent decades, nowadays bearers of the name of Olnhausen are found worldwide. In 2007 a phone book search resulted in 101 entries, with a focus in the Middle Neckar region with the districts of Heilbronn and Ludwigsburg.

In the Festschrift for 1200-year celebration of the village Olnhausen is found the following statement concerning the family crest:

In the local coat of arms and family coat of arms of Olnhausen a man holds an eel (german: Aal) in his right hand, and in the shield there is a fish trap. From these symbols could be deduced the name Aalhausen, since there are plenty of eels in the river Jagst. A dialect synonym to Eel is also Ohl, and in old records and documents you will find in many cases the diction Ohlhusen or Ohlhausen.

Nevertheless, the author tends to believe that a Franconian clan leader named Ollan, is to be regarded as the eponym of our village. At the time of origin of the village this kind of naming was common. In the deed of donotation to the monastery of Lorsch is mentioned „ad ollanhusen“ which means the house of Ollan. [..]

Still in 1278 the name appears in documents as „Ollinhusen“, which undoubtedly corresponds to the name „Ollanhusen“. A conceivable development could be therefore:  Ollanhusen – Ollinhusen – Ohlhusen – Ohlhausen – Olnhausen.

text source of german article:
Hans Hain. Aus der Vergangenheit des Dorfes Olnhausen. Mit Beiträgen von H. von Olnhausen und R. Arzt. Published by the municipality Jagsthausen-Olnhausen on the occasion of the 1200-year celebration in May 1981