The Westphalen Family Name

The spelling Westphalen grew out of Westphal, a German surname with a long paper trail. The name is generally explained as “One who came from Westphalen (western plain), in Germany”. Westphalen adds -en to the root of Westphal, a common way of forming related surnames. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. You may also find the name written Westfal, Westfahl and Westfall.

About 346 people in the United States were recorded as Westphalen in 2010, placing it 58,604 on the national list.

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Westphalen, so the heraldry linked to Westphal is a starting point, not an automatic right. Get the complete Westphalen report, with a museum-style coat of arms.