Surname Heils - Meaning and Origin
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Heils: What does the surname Heils mean?
The last name Heils is a German and Jewish surname with several possible meanings and origins. Depending on the family’s heritage and regional dialect, the name could originate from the German heil, meaning “blessed” or “hale”, or the Hebrew phrase halev yah, meaning “heart of the Lord”. The surname could also be derived from the sounds of a local dialect, or various short forms of personal and given names.
The word Heils appears in records dating as far back as the 13th century in northern Germany, indicating it may have been in use by the original settlers of the area. In Jewish families, the name could have originated as a safety precaution used to avoid anti-Semitic discrimination. Families of German descent likely adopted the surname as a reference to the concept of divine protection.
Today, the surname Heils is most associated with Germany, where it is one of the top 2,000 surnames in the country. It is also common among Jewish communities across the world and continues to be passed down through generations. All in all, Heils is a diverse and long-standing surname, whose meaning and origin will remain entwined in history.
Order DNA origin analysisHeils: Where does the name Heils come from?
The last name Heils is common in many European countries, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Some of the highest concentrations of the surname are found in southern Germany and western Austria.
Heils is a very old name that dates back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from a northern German personal name, Huil, or “ruler”. The “s” ending added to the name was probably given in an effort to indicate family membership, similar to the English “son of.”
Today, Heils is a relatively common German surname, found in many parts of the world. In the United States, the name is mainly found in the states of Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, and California. In Canada, it is typically found in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
In Germany, Heils is concentrated in the states of Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saarland, and Bavaria. In Austria, the surname is mainly found in the provinces of Styria, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Salzburg.
For anyone with the last name Heils, researching their family origins is important to discovering more about their roots and where their ancestors called home. Understanding where the surname is and has been most commonly found adds an even greater sense of connection to their heritage.
Variations of the surname Heils
The surname Heils is of German origin, and derived from the Middle High German word "heil". It was originally used to describe someone who was financially wealthy. Alternative spellings of the surname Heils include Hehl, Heil, Heill and Heille. It is particularly common in the United States and Canada, particularly among the Amish communities there. Variants of Heils are typically found both in America and Germany, with the American versions usually being Jewish, while the German versions are Protestant.
In America, variant spellings such as Hehl, Heil, Heill and Heille are also used. In Germany, variant spellings such as Hehele, Hehewerth, Heyl, and Hiley are observed. Another variant seen in Germany is Heisse. It is also seen in some areas of Austria and Swiss-German areas.
In Ireland, a variation of the surname Heils spells it Heels.
English speakers may find the phonetic spelling Heales to be more common in Europe than Heils.
Surnames of the same origin that are similar to Heils include Heyl, Hiley, Heisse, Hehele, and Hehesse. These surnames share the same meaning, but differ in spelling and pronunciation depending on the region.
In America, alternative surnames that sound similar to Heils vary by location. Examples are Heiles, Heileson, and Heilesmann, which are all found in Pennsylvania Dutch communities. In some curious cases, the name may also have been mispronounced or misspelled, resulting in Heises, Heyses, Heiles, and other variants.
Overall, the surname Heils has a rich history in both America and Europe, and many variants and spellings have developed over time.
Famous people with the name Heils
- Adolph Hitler: was the leader of Germany during World War II from 1933-1945.
- Hermann Goering: a senior Nazi official during the Nazi era and commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe until 1945.
- Heinrich Himmler: was a German Nazi leader and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany.
- Eva Braun: an associate and later wife of Adolf Hitler.
- Peter Heils: a German economist and a senior figure in the Free Democratic Party.
- Rudolf Hess: was a German politician and a prominent figure in Nazi Germany.
- Joachim von Ribbentrop: was a Nazi German diplomat and Foreign Minister in 1938-45.
- Albert Speer: was a Nazi German architect who served as Nazi Germany's minister of armaments and war production from 1942 to 1945.
- Erwin Rommel: was a highly decorated German Field Marshal in World War II who is known as the "Desert Fox".
- Paul von Hindenburg: was a World War I German military leader and politicians who later served as President of Germany from 1925 to 1934.