Surname Kribel - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Kribel: What does the surname Kribel mean?
The last name Kribel is of German origin and is typically found in southwestern Germany. It is derived from the Old High German word “kribil,” which meant “little hovel,” and refers to a small building or hut.
In some cases, the name may have been derived from places with the same name. For example, in the city of Speyer there is a district referred to as “Kribel” in old records. Other locations that may have shaped this surname include Kriesbiel in the Erftal region and Kreipel in the Hinterpfalz region.
The name may have been given to someone who either lived in one of these places or may have been identified with it in some way. It is also possible that the name was given to someone who was a landlord and operated a small inn.
It is likely that the Kribel name was initially used as an occupational name to identify someone who worked as a smallholder or innkeeper. This could have derived from the Old High German word “cripil,” which means “small holder.”
Today, the surname Kribel is still found in southwestern Germany. It is a reminder of a time before the nation was unified, and a reference to a small hut or small holding or even a landlord of an inn.
Order DNA origin analysisKribel: Where does the name Kribel come from?
The surname Kribel is most commonly found in Germany and Austria, where it is estimated that around 2% of the population bears this surname. In particular, it is concentrated in the northwestern German region of Lower Saxony. Outside of these countries, Kribel is still found in some small pockets: in the United States, many Kribels are believed to have originally migrated from Germany during the 19th century, and many of their descendants are found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. In Canada, Kribels are most commonly found in Ontario, where some are likely descendants of German immigrants. By and large, however, Kribel is a rarity today and is most likely to be found among those who can trace their lineage back to Germany or Austria.
Variations of the surname Kribel
The surname Kribel can be traced back to German origins, where it derived from the German word “Kribbel” meaning “to tingle”. Over the centuries, the name has been adapted to various languages and cultures, leading to many different spellings and variants of the name. In Germany, “Kribel” is the most common spelling, however other common spellings in German-speaking countries are “Kriebel”, “Kribbl” and “Kribl”.
In the United States, the spelling of the surname is often shortened to “Kribel”, although other spellings such as “Kribble” or “Kriebel” are also occasionally seen. The Americanized spellings of the name may also vary according to regional usage.
UK spelling conventions have also further modified the name, leading to spellings such as “Krybel”, “Kryble”, “Krybell” and “Krybelle”.
The Kribel surname has also been adopted by other languages and cultures. Variants of the name can be seen in Russia as “Krybel”, in Poland as “Krybel”, in Hungary as “Krybely”, in the Czech Republic as “Krybl” and in Spain as “Krybell”.
Finally, the Kribel surname may also take on various ethnic variants. In some cases, Kribel has become a Jewish surname, with spelling adaptions such as “Krymal”, “Krymco” and “Krymyl”. Additionally, Kribel is also seen as an Anglicized form of the Irish surname “O’Crowley”.
Famous people with the name Kribel
- Jakob Kribel: German documentary filmmaker and television producer
- Max Kribel: French classical guitarist and composer
- Nicholas Kribel: American singer-songwriter
- Roderick Kribel: American painter
- Judy Kribel: American film and television actress
- Rudolf Kribel: Czech violinist
- Alfred Kribel: Austrian sculptor
- Fred Kribel: German art collector and industrialist
- Margarethe Kribel: Dutch artist
- Paul Kribel: Swiss cartographer and explorer