Surname Gimbel - Meaning and Origin
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Gimbel: What does the surname Gimbel mean?
The last name Gimbel is a variant of the Jewish surname Gimpl and is of German origin. The name is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word “gimbel”, used to describe a metalworker or smith. Over time, the surname progressed to “Gimpl” and then “Gimbel”. The first known recorded instance of the Gimbel name was Gottfried Gimpel, born in 1581 in Zell, Schwartzwald, Germany.
The Gimbel name is commonly found in Jewish history and is associated with a number of distinguished individuals over the centuries. Throughout history, the Gimbel name has been associated with a range of occupations including entrepreneurs, businessmen, and academics. Notable figures from history who bore the Gimbel surname include American department store magnate Adam Gimbel and Austrian priest Michael R.G. Gimbel.
Modern day Gimbel families speak of a deep-rooted commitment to community and family values. Even today, the name is associated with a strong sense of loyalty and commitment. For the Gimbel family, their name and its history is a source of pride and strength, and is something to be treasured and passed down through the generations, helping them to stay connected to their past and their community.
Order DNA origin analysisGimbel: Where does the name Gimbel come from?
The Gimbel surname traditionally originates from German-speaking countries, though it is most common in the United States today. German immigrants brought the Gimbel name to the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is primarily found in the midwestern states, such as Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin, as well as the Mid-Atlantic states like Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The first known immigrants to America bearing this name arrived in the United States in the mid-1800s and settled along the East Coast. Since then, the Gimbel surname has spread over the decades and has been adopted by many other branches of society.
The Gimbel name is especially common in areas with large communities of German descent. It can also be found throughout the world, with many Gimbel families having emigrated from Germany to other countries like Australia, Canada, Mexico, and South Africa.
The most prominent family to boast the Gimbel name is probably the Gimbel department store family, which began with the founder, Adam Gimbel, and continued with his sons Jacob and Sigmund. They launched the chain of department stores which bore their name, establishing it as a household name across America. The family experienced considerable business success and eventually opened locations in numerous states.
Although the Gimbel department stores are now long gone, their legacy as an American brand lives on. The Gimbel name has become symbolic of a time of American prosperity and is still found in many families today.
Variations of the surname Gimbel
Gimbel is a surname of German origin, derived from the medieval personal name Gumbert, a form of Günther, a German form of Gunther. This name was most likely of Germanic origin, meaning 'war chief’.
Spellings and variants of the name include Gimbel, Gimel, Guimbell, Guimbel, Guimble, Gimbell, Gimble, Gumble, Gumbel, Guimbol, Gymbel, and Gümbele.
Surnames related to Gimbel include Gimbeler, Gimbele, Gimbelmann, Gimbely, Gumbel, Gümbel, Gümbell, Gümber, and Gümbeler.
In Germany, Gimbel is a commonly used variant of Gimbeler, although the former is more widespread in the United States.
The various variants, spellings and surnames of Gimbel date back to at least the 1500s, and the earliest recorded Gimbel in Germany is Johannes Gumble, born in Baden in 1593.
In the US, the Gimbel and Gimbeler family originally hailed from Pennsylvania in the mid to late 1700s. The first recorded appearance of the name was likely in 1778, when Christian Gimbel was a prisoner of war in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Variants of Gimbel can be found in various other countries, such as France, Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands.
Overall, the various variants, spellings and surnames of Gimbel have a history that spans centuries, and the name is common in many different areas of Europe and the United States.
Famous people with the name Gimbel
- Gertrude Gimbel (1893-1985): American philanthropist, wife of department store magnate Bernard Gimbel.
- Eddie Gimbel (1915-2002): American animator who worked for Walt Disney Productions.
- Bernard Gimbel (1893-1926): Founder of the luxury department store Gimbels.
- Lucille Gimbel (1917–2015): American director and producer as well as performing arts patron, daughter of Bernard Gimbel.
- Joan Gimbel Lane (1920–2007): American philanthropist and widow of department store magnate Bernard Gimbel.
- Louis Gimbel (1860–1927): American entrepreneur who ran the family department store from 1887 to 1927.
- Robert Gimbel (1886–1972): American businessman who ran the family department store from 1927 to 1964.
- Richard Gimbel (1926-2013): American businessman and heir to the Gimbel department store dynasty.
- Jonas V. Gimbel (1891–1970): American lawyer, art collector, and philanthropist, son of Louis Gimbel.
- Richard H. Gimbel (1894-1930): American lawyer, eldest son of Louis Gimbel.
- Randal G. Gimbel (1947–2011): American entrepreneur, most notably worked in the spa industry, son of Richard Gimbel.
- James Alexander Emanuel Gimbel (1837–1894): American banker and investor, father of Louis Gimbel.
- Ernst Benzion Gimbel (1861–1938): German-born American poet known as the "poet laureate of Manheim".