family name

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-ortsschild-300x356

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.

Oberriexingen

Oberriexingen ist mit ca. 3.000 Einwohnern die kleinste Stadt des Landkreises Ludwigsburg und seit 1993 unser Wohnort. Oberriexingen liegt im Bundesland Baden-Württemberg, in der Region Stuttgart direkt an der Enz. Die topograhische Lage reicht von 190 m bis 250 m üNN. Die Gemarkungsfläche beträgt 816 ha.

Das Stadtwappen Oberriexingens zeigt in seinem gespaltenen Schild links die schwarze vierzackige Hirschstange Württembergs auf goldenen Grund, rechts ein goldenes Schaufelruder in schwarzem Feld.

Oberriexingen pflegt seit nunmehr über 20 Jahren eine enge Partnerschaft mit der französischen Gemeinde Ennery.


Oberriexingen with approximately 3,000 inhabitants is the smallest town of the district of Ludwigsburg and since 1993 our place of residence.

Oberriexingen is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in the Stuttgart region by the river Enz. The topograhical location ranges from 190 m to 250 m above sea level.

For over 20 years there is a close partnership with the French community Ennery.

Olnhausen

Jagsthausen – Teilort Olnhausen

Weit abseits von der Hektik des Alltags bietet Jagsthausen (nordöstlich von Heilbronn gelegen und bequem über die A81 und A6 zu erreichen) und seine Umgebung eine Vielzahl von Sehenswürdigkeiten, Erholungs- und Freizeitmöglichkeiten.

OrtswappenDer Teilort Olnhausen, mit 330 Einwohner, ist der Stammsitz des in der Oberamtsbeschreibung Neckarsulm (Seite 626) erwähnten Ortsadels „von Olnhausen“.

zur Erläuterung des Ortsnamens: Olnhausen – eine Siedlung des Ollan

zur Beschreibung des Orts- und Familienwappens

zur Homepage der Gemeinde Jagsthausen

Jagsthausen – and the incorporated village Olnhausen

Far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life Jagsthausen (northeast of Heilbronn situated and easily accessible from the A81 and A6) and its surroundings offers a wide variety of attractions, recreation and leisure activities.

The  incorporated village Olnhausen, with 330 inhabitants, is the ancestral seat of the local nobility „von Olnhausen“ (Oberamt Neckarsulm description, page 626).

family geography

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.

family crest

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.

family crest

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