Surname Heintzel - Meaning and Origin
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Heintzel: What does the surname Heintzel mean?
Heintzel is a German surname. It is derived from the Middle High German word 'Heimtzel' meaning 'home shield'. The name was likely used to describe a guard of the home or the household guard.
Heintzel is linked to similar surnames such as Heintz, Heintze, Heinz, and Heinze. The surname Heintzel is thought to have originated in the Rhineland area of Germany with the family likely originating in the Rhineland Palatinate. The oldest recorded use of the surname dates back to 1578 in the Sachsenspiegel, a codex of mediaeval West Germanic law.
The Heintzel name has commonality in locations such as the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, France, Australia, and Austria. Through the years, many spellings of the name have evolved such as Hints, Heindl, and Hintzel.
The Heintzels are a strong German family that is closely linked to their homeland and source of origin. The family name is a tribute to brave guards of the home, which reflects the importance of the people who bear the name even today.
Order DNA origin analysisHeintzel: Where does the name Heintzel come from?
The last name Heintzel is most prevalent in Germany today. According to public records, this surname originates from the Middle High German word "Heindezel" meaning "noble servant."
The Heintzel surname is most commonly found concentrated in the district of Merzig-Wader in the Saarland of Germany. This area has an estimated 8,000 people with the last name Heintzel.
This last name can also be found in smaller but still significant concentrations in the city of Krakow, Poland. Other areas with a slightly lower, but still notable, number of people with the last name Heintzel include parts of the Belgium, Holland and Australia.
Tracing back even further, in the late medieval period of Germany’s history, the Heintzel family was prominent in Thuringia and Hesse-Kassel. During this period the Heintzels were considered to be a noble family.
The Heintzel name is still quite common today throughout the German speaking regions of Europe. The last name Heintzel still holds a certain prestige among its remaining family members. People with this notable German surname still carry on the legacy of their ancestors with pride.
Variations of the surname Heintzel
Heintzel is a Germanic surname, and is derived from the old High German heimat (home). It is believed to have stemmed from a personal name, either Heimot, Heimo or Heimzo. The surname can be found in various forms, spellings, and variations around the world.
In Germany, the surname is most commonly seen as Hainz or Hainzler. In areas of modern-day Austria and Slovenia, it is often seen as Hintze or Hintzl. Within Slovakia, the name is found as Heintzels. Another, less common variant of the name is Heintzele.
In the United States, immigrating families often changed the spelling of their family names. Consequently, the Heintzel name can be found spelled as Hainsel, Hainsal, Hainsel, Heinsal, Heintsal, Hinsel, Hinsal, Hintsal, Hinsil, Hintel, Hinzil, Hymnsal, and Hyntsal.
In addition to these regional spellings, the surname has a number of derivatives. Within Germany, some of the variants include Häinsl, Heynts, Heyntz, Hontz, and Hontzel. In France, the derivative Hentzel is found. And in the Netherlands, the names Heynts and Heyntz take form.
Although the spellings of the Heintzel surname can vary, core elements such as the Heint- or Hint- prefix tend to remain the same. Thus, regardless of location or spelling, the origin and meaning of the surname can be traced back to the old high German heimat—home.
Famous people with the name Heintzel
- Bill Heintzelman: American Major General in World War II
- Robert Heintzelman: American sportsman, soldier, boxer, referee and promoter
- Erich Heintzen: German aerospace engineer and a member of the German rocket team
- Bob Heintzelman: American basketball coach
- Alfred Heintzelman: American General in the U.S. Army
- Kate Heintzelman: American actress
- Maria Heintzelman: British theatre, television and film actress
- Freddy Heintzelman: German rower
- Andrew Heintzelman: American costumed artist and professional costume designer
- Rosemary Heintzelman: American politician
- Joseph Heintzelman: American General in the U.S. Army
- John Heintzelman: American lawyer and long-serving president of Franklin & Marshall College
- Charles Heintzelman: Major in the U.S. Marine Corps who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima
- Eva Heintzelman: American professional basketball player
- Kristina Heintzelman: Austrian water skier and four-time world champion
- David Heintzelman: American baseball pitcher
- Sarah Heintzelman: American Paralympic swimmer
- Erwin Heintzelman: German sailor and Olympic athlete
- Florence Heintzelman: American physician
- John Heintzleman: American politician and lawyer