Surname Birgel - Meaning and Origin
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Birgel: What does the surname Birgel mean?
The surname Birgel is a German name, derived from the Middle High German name Burgel. This name is thought to come from a diminutive of the word burc, meaning "fortress" or "castle". It is likely that the original bearer of the name was someone who either lived near a castle or worked in the service of one.
Birgel is a frequently found surname in Germany, as well as areas of Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg. It is also common in parts of the United States, Canada and Brazil, as many German immigrants settled there in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The name Birgel is often compounded or modified with words such as "von", "zum", or "vom". This was done in order to denote the specific family, house, or area from which the family originally hailed.
Birgel is also seen as a variant spelling of the name Bürgel. It is believed that the name evolved as an occupational surname, meaning one who was employed as a public or official messenger. As such, the name Birgel can be found in many German land records throughout history.
The name is representative of a proud family history, one that stretches back to beautiful and ancient castles of Germany. Furthermore, it is also symbolic of hardworking ancestors and the glorious German culture they sought to preserve.
Order DNA origin analysisBirgel: Where does the name Birgel come from?
The last name Birgel is most commonly found in western Germany, especially in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. The name has been found throughout Germany since the early medieval period. It is also found in Belgium, Luxembourg, and surrounding areas.
Birgel is a patronymic surname, meaning it was adopted from the given name of a father or ancestor. It is derived from the German-language term 'birzel', meaning 'little bird'.
As of 2020, more than 7,000 people in Germany have the surname Birgel. The highest concentration of the name is in the city of Cologne, with more than 550 inhabitants sharing the name. Gotha in Thuringia is a close second, with around 400 Birgels living in the city. Other towns where Birgel is common include Mainz, Bochum, Düsseldorf and Heidelberg.
Outside of Germany, the surname Birgel can be found in other parts of Europe. In England there are fewer than 100 people with the surname, while slightly higher numbers have been recorded in France, Austria and the Netherlands.
Birgel is not common in the United States but at least a dozen family name holders living there have been documented.
Variations of the surname Birgel
The surname Birgel is of German origin and is mainly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. The variants and spellings of the surname Birgel are Beargel, Berger, Biergel, Birgele, Bürgel, Bürgle, Bürkel, Bürklein, Bürkle, Bürklin, Bürkling, and Börgle. The variant spelling Berger is the most common in countries outside Germany and Switzerland, such as the USA and Canada.
The surname Birgel is derived from the German word "Bürge" which means "citizen" or "townsman". It was a name given to a person who lived in or near a walled city and was considered a burgher (citizen).
Some of the other popular surnames of the same origin as Birgel include Bergmann, Birkner, Burger, and Bürkle. In Germany, the variants 'Biergel' and 'Birgele' are not very common.
Birgel is a fairly common last name in Germany, with more than 1,500 individuals currently using it. It is also a popular surname in Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Austria. The highest concentrations of the surname are in Germany and France, followed by the USA.
All of these surnames have similar meanings and have a very close origin, but at the same time they are quite distinct. The variants and spellings of the surname Birgel are a reflection of its cultural and ethnic diversity and provide an interesting insight into the history and heritage of this family name.
Famous people with the name Birgel
- Eyvind Birgel: Danish actor
- Valdemar Birgel: Danish industrialist
- Willy Birgel: German film actor
- David Birgel: English actor
- Fritz Birgel: German film actor
- Irene Birgel: German actress
- Klaas Birgel: East Prussian general
- Fabian Birgel: German actor
- Martin Birgel: German actor
- Helene Birgel: German actress
- Otto Birgel: German actor
- Meinolf Birgel: German politician
- Klaus-Dieter Birgel: German art theorist
- Hans-Joachim Birgel: German opera singer
- Jakob Birgel: German ethnologist
- Ferdinand Birgel: German clergyman