ðə tˈɜːm "ˈɔːfeɪz" wʌz fˈɜːst jˈuːzd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn baɪ ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ vˈɑːn mˈɪdəndˌoːɹf fˈɑːloʊɪŋ hɪz ɑːbzɚvˈeɪʃənz ʌvðə fɪnˈɑːmɪnən ɪn nˈɔːɹðɚn saɪbˈiəɹɪə.
The term "Aufeis" was first used in 1859 by Alexander von Middendorff following his observations of the phenomenon in northern Siberia.