Surname Maerckel - Meaning and Origin
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Maerckel: What does the surname Maerckel mean?
The last name Maerckel is of German origin and has several possible meanings and origins. It could have been derived from the Old German name “Marickel” meaning “follower of Mars.” Alternately, it could have been derived from the Old German name “Marahkilo” and the Middle High German name “Marckol,” both of which mean “famous ruler.”
Due to the variations in the written form, the spelling of Maerckel also changed over time. Some examples of spelling variants include Merkel, Marckel, Maertel, Markusl, Marcili or Marcelli, Marcillo, Marko, and Marceau.
It's possible that Maerckel was an occupational name originally given to a family who owned or operated a large farm or estate. It could also have been a nickname for a particularly strong or powerful man.
The Maerckel family is most concentrated in Germany and Austria, but has spread around the world, including Canada and the United States. The meaning of the name can be seen in the achievements of members of this extended family, who have gone into a variety of professions and worked in many arenas, from art to politics.
Order DNA origin analysisMaerckel: Where does the name Maerckel come from?
The last name Maerckel is an uncommon last name today with fewer than 500 people in the world bearing the name. The name is most prevalent in Germany, with almost 300 persons having this name in Germany, spread across the country. The Maerckel surname is also found in the United States, mostly in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states, with less than 50 people bearing the name.
The Maerckel name originated as a German surname, with its root stemming from the Germanic word "merkel" meaning protector of merchants. The name likely began as a title for a person responsible for defending merchants and their goods. The name then evolved into a last name which was then spread throughout Germany through migration.
The Maerckel surname is more commonly found in small towns, suggesting it likely originates from families who did not move away from their home region. The surname has endured over time and is still represented with relatively few occurrences.
Variations of the surname Maerckel
Maerckel is an uncommon German surname deriving from the personal name Markus, meaning “warlike”. Variants of this surname include Markel, Marckel, Marcle, Marshl, Marchl, and Marchal.
The original form of the surname was Markhel, which dates back to the Middle Ages in Germany, with the “Mark” from the Latin “Marcus” and the “hel” forming the Germanic patronymic suffix. This suffix became altered over time, resulting in a number of variant spellings.
The surnames that share a similar origin to that of Maerckel include Marichal, Merkl, Marchlewski, Markell, and Marchel. Again, these surnames all stem from a common origin and along with the variant spellings of Maerckel can be seen as being connected to the same family.
In England the surname Maerckel is highly rare but is more commonly found in America, with records of immigrants of this surname having settled in the mid-eighteenth century. It is possible also to find this surname in other parts of Europe, including France, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands.
Aside from Maerckel, there are a variety of different surnames that are derived from the same root, all of which are interesting to trace back to the same original family. As a result of this, it is likely that one could find distant ancestors with one of many different surnames from this same origin.
Famous people with the name Maerckel
- George Maerckel: A former radio broadcaster for San Francisco Giants baseball games.
- Pat Maerckel: Former college baseball coach and father of George Maerckel.
- Bruce Maerckel: Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, responsible for the films A Night at the Opera, Stretch Armstrong, and Evening Star.
- Roger Maerckel: American baseball player of the Negro League.
- Laurence Maerckel: French composer and professor of composition at the Bay Area Conservatory.
- Douglas Maerckel: Former player in the NFL, playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, and Philadelphia Eagles.
- Kraft Maerckel: Retired judge and prominent lawyer in Washington, D.C.
- Lou Maerckel: Former pitcher in the Pacific Coast League.
- Edward Maerckel: European-American bishop in the Moravian Church.
- Etienne Maerckel: Belgian chess player, winner of the 1947 Belgian Chess Championship.