Surname Hummell - Meaning and Origin
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Hummell: What does the surname Hummell mean?
The surname Hummell is a German and English occupational name from Middle High German humel, or hummel meaning "humble bee". Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
The surname Hummell is thought to have first appeared during the Middle Ages in Germany and may originally have been the name of a beekeeper or honey seller, as humble bees play an important role in the pollination of flowers and result in large quantities of honey. Alternatively, it may have been the name of a farmer who bred this species of bee. Thus, the surname Hummell is associated with occupations related to the bee industry.
Early records of the name Hummell include a Johannes Hummel in the charters of 1603, and a Hannah Hummell who was christened in the city of Leire, England in 1790. The Hummell surname has seen considerable migration to the United States of America, especially during the 20th century, largely as immigrants looking to escape political or religious persecution.
The Hummell surname is currently carried by more than 500 people worldwide, with notable bearers of the name Hummell including the American composer Jon Hummell, and the Brazilian author Queila Hummell.
Order DNA origin analysisHummell: Where does the name Hummell come from?
The last name Hummell is most commonly found in the United States. The Hummell surname first appears in the United States in the mid-1800s, traceable to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Missouri. It is believed that the Hummell family likely has multiple origins, with some being of Germanic origin and some being of English origin.
Today, the Hummell name is most densely found in the Midwest United States, especially in Wisconsin and Ohio. In Wisconsin alone, Hummell is the 584th most common surname, making it rather common throughout the state. It may also be common throughout southern Ohio, as well as other Midwest states like Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.
Outside of the United States, the Hummell surname is relatively rare. According to Ancestry.com, the Hummell name only appears in Germany, the Netherlands, and a few Eastern European nations in small numbers. There is also a small number of people with the name living in Canada.
Given its American roots, the Hummell name is still relatively common in the United States today, especially in Midwestern states.
Variations of the surname Hummell
The surname Hummell has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Hummell is a German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname, generally believed to be an occupational name derived from the Middle High German word hommel meaning "bee". In keeping with this definition, variant spellings and surnames such as Hummel, Hommel, Hommer, and Homel have been documented. The spelling Hummell has been specifically documented in records from a variety of sources throughout the 18th and 19th centuries in Germany.
Variant spellings of Hummell found in German records include Hommel (also Hamell, Hamel, Hamill, and Haumel which in some cases were derived from the German spelling of Hummell, Hummel) and humer (also Humar, Humer, Hummericher and Humeres). Other variants found in German records include Humel, Honeyman, and Hummann.
Variant spellings of Hummell found in Dutch records include Hommele, Haumele, and Hommelaere. In Jewish (Ashkenazic) records, Hummell is sometimes found as Hummer, Hummler, Hommer, Homeir and Holmer.
Due to the regional and linguistic variations across Europe, other variant recordings of the Hummell surname have been identified, including: Hamel (Germany and France); Ommeler (Germany); and Ambrose (England).
Famous people with the name Hummell
- Jeffrey Hummell: former Major League Baseball outfielder.
- Bryon Hummell: American Olympic weightlifter.
- Bruce Hummell: former sculptor/mixed media artist abstract expressionist.
- Jarrad Hummell: Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer in the 4×100m freestyle relay.
- Erik Hummell: International wildlife photographer, researcher, and guide.
- John Hummell: American civil rights attorney and LGBT rights advocate.
- Friz Hummell: Austrian-born American painter and sculptor.
- David Hummell: Emmy award winning director, director of photography and musician.
- Peter Hummell: Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
- Maureen Hummell: American artist, writer, editor, and Pulitzer-nominated newspaper reporter.