Surname Dölfel - Meaning and Origin

Dölfel: What does the surname Dölfel mean?

The last name Dölfel is of German origin and has various regional spellings, including Daelfel, Doelfel and Doelfele, among others. In most cases it was a name used to designate a person in some sort of animal-related industry such as butchery or animal husbandry. It likely stems from an old German word “dolfor” meaning ox or bull and was a name used for someone who raised or sold oxen or cattle.

Another possible origin is that it was a nickname derived from the Old Germanic word "dofel" meaning one who moves slowly, often used to describe a dull or lazy person. Alternately, some sources cite the name as meaning “the residence of the doe,” since it is derived from the words “doe” and “feld” meaning field or meadow.

The last family bearing this name can be found in records in the late 1500's, believed to be active in the areas of Rathenow and nearby towns in what was then eastern Brandenburg. As with many Germanic surnames, it is likely to have been heavily modified by regional dialect over the centuries, leading to the various spellings found today.

Dölfel: Where does the name Dölfel come from?

The last name Dölfel is most notably associated with the town of North Hesse, Germany. According to genealogical records, it is so closely tied to this area that most documented variations of the name originated there. It is thought that its earliest recorded ancestor may have come from this region as well.

The main concentration of Dölfel families today lies in the center of Germany, particularly in the German federal states of Bavaria and Hesse. It is also found in small numbers in other parts of Germany and in parts of Switzerland and Austria.

The trend of its dispersal away from its homeland has continued in more recent times, with widespread migration of Dölfels to other European countries, as well as North and South America. The United States in particular has seen a large influx of Dölfels, with the strongest concentration of the name in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois.

As with all last names, the number of Dölfels is constantly changing, and its dispersal abroad is no doubt a reflection of the globalized world of today. Despite the distance between them, many of the Dölfel families living across the world remain connected to their shared heritage.

Variations of the surname Dölfel

The variants of the surname Dölfel are Dolffle, Dolffl, Dolfel, Dolfll, and Dolphle. The same origin of these surnames indicates that they all belong to the same family, likely ancestors of the first people to hold the surname Dölfel.

The spelling of Dölfel can also be found as Dölffl, which is sometimes shortened to just the letter “d”. In Austria, the variant Dölfschl can be found. In Germany, the spelling Dorfel is also common as well as Duerfel or Duerffel.

In the Netherlands, various spellings of the last name are found, such as Dulve, Dulfel, and Dollvel. In Switzerland, the surname is found as Dullfel and Dulfen. In Denmark, the variant is found as Dølffle.

Surnames of the same origin for Dölfel include: Doelffle, Doelfel, Doelffl, Doelfll, Doelphle, Dolfle, Dolfel, Dolfll, Dolphle, Dobarfl, Doltfle, Doltfel, Doltffl, Doltphle, Durffl, Durfl, and Durfll.

The use of surnames is particularly complex if one is looking into the family history of an area. All the above variations and spellings of Dölfel can be used with caution to help trace the family history, since it is possible that the name has spread to different countries and regions, all with different ways to spell the surname.

Famous people with the name Dölfel

• Hans Dölfel: A German banker and national politician who served as president of the Berlin Stock Exchange from 1923-1932.
• Fritz Dölfel: A German Olympic soccer player, who won a gold medal for Germany in the 1936 Olympics.
• Frank Dölfel: A German actor, who appeared in films such as Lola Montes (1955) and Der Bizarrverkäufer (1963).
• Irene Dölfel: An Austrian woman who was among the thousands of people deported from Austria to Nazi concentration camps, where she died in the Buchenwald camp.
• Michael Dölfel: A German film director, producer, and actor who worked in television and cinema from the late 1940s until the mid-1980s.
• Norbert Dölfel: A German historian who wrote about the cities of Berlin and Frankfurt.
• Fridolin von Dölfel: A German industrialist and mayor of Essen from 1921 to 1925.
• Bernd Dölfel: A German professional football player who spent most of his career in East Germany in the late 1960s and 1970s.
• Jäger August von Dölfel: A Prussian army officer who served in the campaigns of the Seven Years War and fought at the Battle of Rossbach in 1757.
• Gabriele Dölfel: A German artist who specialized in painting and etching, and was a professor at the academy of art in Dresden from 1867 to 1871.

Other surnames

DolfenDölfes