THE ALVE FAMILY IN NZ

Pictured - The Featherston wedding of Mary Alve and George Busch in 1898 - 12 Alve's

Are You Coming?

It is time for another Alve Family Reunion in New Zealand.

On 14 February (Valentine's Day) 1874 Maria & Carl Alve wed in St Augustine's Catholic Church, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

150 years on will you join family and friends to celebrate this event at Masters Hall, Pahiatua near where the family first settled (1881-1896) during the weekend of 17-18 February 2024.

Pahiatua Gathering Brochure
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File Type:	pdf

Download File

Easter 2015 Reunion in Palmerston North

Over 50 people young and old came from across the original families

Eddie's Clan

Theresia's Clan

Clara's Clan

What We Have Done

Maria Theresia and Carl Alve
German immigrants to New Zealand

During the early 1990's a genealogical history of the Alve family in New Zealand and Germany was researched, compiled and published as a book. This work traced what could be gleaned then about the German background of Carl and Maria Theresia Alve who emigrated to New Zealand from Germany. They arrived in Wellington during March 1876.

In those pre-internet days it was surprising to discover a wealth of information, genealogical and historical, was accessible. Major reference sources were the Family History Centre of the L.D.S. Church in Fendalton, Christchurch, the National Archives in Wellington, New Zealand and relatives.

Notes were made from interviews with descendants of Carl and Maria Theresia in New Zealand. Biographies of the first three generations of descendants in New Zealand were written and compiled along with historical and genealogical information. All this was combined into the publication of the book, "Alve Road - How do you spell that?" in December 1994. The following Easter (1995) a well-attended family reunion was held in the Manawatu.

Formal research into the Alve family has resumed during 2023. All bar two of the 2nd generation of descendants have now died and there have been several additions to the family that have not been recorded systematically. With the advent of the internet and the availability of extensive online historical and genealogical records, the time is right to further study the Alve family. This allows us to keep track of the emerging descendants of Carl and Maria Theresia. It enables also to push the boundaries back to reveal more information about the ancestors of the Alves; the places and conditions they lived in and the families they have been linked with. A new book will be published at the 2024 Family Reunion. This will survey the the thirty years before Carl and Maria Theresia came to New Zealand and examine what life may have been like for them, the factors that influenced their decision to emigrate, and the important people and institutions who influenced their early years.

Just as the 1990s research that resulted in the "Alve Road" book and the 1995 Family reunion were multi-person undertakings, so this enterprise invites your support and participation. Will you join us please? To assist, a Facebook Page called "Alve Family" is now active and facilitates discussion about Alve Family matters.

Terry Alve - Tawa, Wellington, NZ
(Updated April 2023)

What We Want to Do, with You

This website aims to be a gateway for further research into the Alve family in New Zealand, Germany and wherever ancestors and descendants roam(ed).

German immigrants, Carl & Maria Theresia Alve are the pivot point for this Alve Family research. The first two generations of the Alve family in New Zealand were a very close-knit family. As descendants multiply it is no easy matter now to maintain that closeness. However, using internet technology and providing this focal point for the family to keep communicating, we will achieve much.

This enterprise invites you to offer what you can to keep this whanau in touch with one another and aware of our mutual and proud heritage. You can do this by:
joining our eList
commenting on Alve Blog or Facebook posts
providing material for inclusion in this website
giving notice of births, deaths and marriages (unions)
attending wider family functions as organised
promoting this resource to other family members
buying a digital copy of 'Alve Road'

FACTS ABOUT the Alve Family in New Zealand