Surname Hänzel - Meaning and Origin
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Hänzel: What does the surname Hänzel mean?
The last name Hänzel has German origins and is derived from the Middle High German (ca. 1100-1500) given name "Hansil," a diminutive version of "Hans" or “John.” During the Middle Ages, Hansil was a very popular name referred to several generations of people, and it generated a variety of surnames.
The name Hänzel is believed to have first been used either to indicate a person who was the son of a Hans or to indicate that they were an important leader. Over time, the name developed some regional varieties, such as Hänzel, Hänsel, Hansl, Hansel, Hensell, Hanselmann and many more.
The etymology of the name reflects the importance of family lineages, particularly in rural areas, and the pride taken in belonging to a particular family. It could indicate that an ancestor was known as a particularly nobleman, and possibly a person of high status in society. This could also have been a hereditary title given from father to son over the generations.
The name can still be found mainly in Austria and some parts of Germany. It is also very commonly found in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, where many German immigrants settled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisHänzel: Where does the name Hänzel come from?
The last name Hänzel is common today in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is most frequent in Germany, where an estimated 16,000 people currently use it as a surname. In Austria, it is present in much smaller numbers, but still is used by about 700 people today. In Switzerland fewer than 100 people use it.
The name is believed to have a Slavic origin, with the earliest documented usage in the German-speaking world dating to the 1500s. It is thought to have started as either a toponymic name (i.e., a name derived from a place or region) or a patronymic (i.e., a name derived from one's father).
The name Hänzel is found most frequently in the southwestern region of Germany, as well as in Austria and Switzerland. Specifically, it is most common in the Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland areas of Germany. It is also well established in Hesse, Lower Saxony, Berlin, and Thuringia.
Those who bear the last name Hänzel often trace their roots back to the Catholic regions of Germany where the name originated and is still relatively common.
Variations of the surname Hänzel
The surname Hänzel is a German Patronymic surname, which refers to a son of Hanz or Hanns. This surname can be extensively found in different spelling and variants, such as Hänsel, Hanzel, Hänzelmann, Haenzel, Hänzelin, Henty and Haksel. While Hänzel is typically found in the German speaking areas of Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Netherlands, the variants Hanzel, Hänsel and even Henty is fairly common in different regions across Europe.
Hänzel is believed to be derived from the Biblical name Hanan or Hannan meaning “merciful”. Thus it can also be derived from the personal name Hanz, which is a shortening of the name Johannes. It is also believed that the variants of Hänzel likely originated from the German spelling of Hansel. Generally, surnames that have a Hanz, Hans, Hanns are usually a variation of the surname John.
The numerous variants of the surname Hänzel and Hänsel can be mostly traced to the region of Swabia in southern Germany, where many families bearing similar surnames live. As a part of the Holy Roman Empire the name was spread to other parts of Europe. In some other countries, further variations of the Hänzel and its derivatives have arisen, such as in Poland, where the surnames Hensle, Henszler and Hanslinski can be commonly found.
In United States, the surnames Hänzel and its variants are typically found in regions with a large German population like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Texas. So it’s quite common to find records of people having the surnames Hänzel, Hanzel, Hänsel, Henty, Haksel and other related surnames in parts of United States.
Famous people with the name Hänzel
- David Hänzel: German footballer
- Steven Hänzel: German actor
- Michelle Hänzel: German author
- Steven Hänzel: German jazz guitarist
- Katrin Hänzel: German film director
- Michael Hänzel: German soccer player
- Henry Hänzel: German artist
- Lothar Hänzel: German author and anthroposophist
- Till Hänzel: German music producer and composer
- Carl Hänzel: German entrepreneur
- Ola Hänzel: Swedish singer-songwriter
- Jens Hänzel: German jazz musician
- Christian Hänzel: German actor
- Tobias Hänzel: German singer
- Felix Hänzel: German actor
- Caroline Hänzel: German actress
- Paul Hänzel: German actor and musician
- Christa Hänzel: German philologist and author