Surname Henckel - Meaning and Origin
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Henckel: What does the surname Henckel mean?
The last name Henckel is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "henckel" which translates to "farmer." It is likely that this was the original profession associated with this name and that it was adopted by families descended from farmers, either in its original form or a modified version.
The name may also derive from another Middle High German term, “hencketvogel” which means “bird of prey.” This could imply a connection to nobility or a family of hunters.
In most modern forms, the last name is spelled "Henckel," but other spellings such as "Henckl," "Henkel," or "Heintzelman" could be found in records from various countries.
The first recorded use of the Henckel name was in the German town of Prenzlau in 1273. It is very likely that the Henckls who lived there were descendants of the first known user of the name.
The name is found today mostly in German-speaking countries, primarily Germany and Austria. It is also found throughout America, where it was brought by immigrants from Germany and Austria in the 19th or early 20th centuries.
No matter the original form of the name, the Henckel name, historically and currently, stands for one of the earliest professions – the farmer. It is a reminder of the hard-working ancestral families who settled in their original home in Prenzlau and beyond, and brought the name with them as a symbol of their proud heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisHenckel: Where does the name Henckel come from?
The last name Henckel is most commonly found in Germany today. It is most prevalent in the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, and Bavaria- particularly in and around Berlin. However, it is also seen in other regions of Germany, including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and parts of Saxony-Anhalt.
Henckel is also regularly seen in other Germ-speaking parts of Europe, including the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, and some parts of Eastern Europe. It is likely that the name has spread throughout these countries from its origins in Germany in the 14th and 15th centuries.
In terms of the wider world, Henckel can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other areas of the English-speaking world that have been settled for some time by German emigrants. Nevertheless, it is undeniably most frequent in its homeland of Germany, providing a lasting link with its past.
Variations of the surname Henckel
The surname Henckel is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German heinckel, which means “little leader.” It is an occupational name for a man who led a group, or an official who acted in the presence of a feudal lord. Surnames derived from the Henckel root and that are closely related to it, but derived from a different regional dialect, include Henkel, Hinkle, Hankle, Hankill, and Hanckell.
Variants of Henckel include Hankel, Hannchel, Hanckl, Henckelmann, Henckle, Henchel, Henkle, Henkel, Henkels, Henkels, Hinkle, Hinkel, Hencklle, Henchele, Hinckel,Henkelmann, Genekel, Hankelmann, Hinckele, and Henckler.
In Germany, the variant spellings Henckel, Henkel, and Hinckel are the most common. German immigrants arriving to the United States often changed their versions to Henkel and Hinkle. Variations in the United States include Hanke, Hanckel, Hanckell, Hankill, Hankle, Hankelman, Hanselman, Hanzlick, and Hensle.
Henckel is a rare family name. Its variants are widely dispersed geographically and can be found in Europe, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic, as well as North America, particularly the United States and Canada. Henckel is also a popular American surname in South Africa, Australia, and especially the United States.
Famous people with the name Henckel
- Christian Henckel von Donnersmarck: German director and screenwriter
- Joachim Henckel: Prussian cavalry officer
- Albrecht von Henckel: German poet and playwright
- Jürgen Henckel: German painter
- Wolfgang Henckel: German mountain climber
- Johann Gustav Henckel: German pianist, composer, and conductor
- Jan Henckel: Bohemian mechanical engineer
- Gottfried Henckel: Prussian artillery officer
- Martina Henckel von Donnersmarck: German film producer
- Johann Heinrich Henckel: German geologist and mineralogist
- Wilhelm Henckel: German geographer and cartographer