Surname Mählig - Meaning and Origin
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Mählig: What does the surname Mählig mean?
The last name Mählig is a common German surname of the Low German language origin. The literal translation of the surname is "malt", which implies that the first Mählig individuals were likely maltsters, as the term is used for people who process grain to make beer and whisky.
Mählig is typically an occupational surname, as it identifies a person who is likely connected to the brewing industry. The term Mählig is also similar to the terms mahlen or mohlen, meaning to grind. Thus, it's likely that the first Mählig individuals were either maltsters or grain-grinders.
The Mählig surname is most prominent in Germany and Austria. Common spellings of the surname include Mähle, Mahlig, Mählig, and Moelich.
Due to the ding frequency of the Mählig surname in Europe, the family is likely related to one another. The history and origins of the name can be traced back to the 15th century AD, as most contemporary Mählig family members reside in Germany and Austria.
In summary, the Mählig surname is of Low German language origin and is related to the brewing and distilling industry. It is believed to have originated in the 15th century AD in Germany and Austria and is most commonly spelled Mähle, Mahlig, Mählig, and Moelich.
Order DNA origin analysisMählig: Where does the name Mählig come from?
The last name Mählig is common in several areas today, particularly in Germany where it is in the top two-hundred most common surnames. It is also found in some parts of Eastern Europe, largely within the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the 19th Century when many ethnic German people lived in those areas.
Today, Mählig is most commonly found in Germany's states (Bundesländer) of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Thuringia, where it is among the top ten surnames. In Saxony, it is the 24th most common name. In other areas of Central and Western Europe, it can occasionally be seen in lesser concentrations. It is rarely found in Eastern Europe other than those former Austro-Hungarian regions.
In North America, Mählig can be found scattered around the US and Canada, typically among communities with German ancestry. In the US, it is most commonly found in Pennsylvania, though other states can be found as well.
Other than Germany, Austria and the United States are the countries with the highest concentrations of Mähligs. This surname rarely appears elsewhere in the world, though in other countries, different variations of the name such as Maehlig or Mählich can be found.
Variations of the surname Mählig
The surname Mählig is of German origin and has several spelling variants, including Mahlig, Mahlige, Mahlign, Mahligne, Meihlig, and Meihlign.
The surname is derived from the Old German word mahal, meaning “meadow” or “place”, and so would have been originally the name of someone who lived in or near a meadow. The spelling may have changed over the centuries as it was passed down through generations.
Other variant spellings of the Mählig surname include Mahly, Mahlee, Mahli, Mahlei, Mahlein, Mehler, Miller, Miler, Myler, Mohlig, Mohlie, and Molig. These spellings can be found mostly in the states of Bavaria, Saxony, and Brandenburg in Germany.
The surname can also take the form of Mählich, Mehlic, Möhlic, and Möhlich. It is also sometimes seen as Möhlein and Möhler.
Finally, the surname has some common variations that have been anglicized, such as Mohl, Mullen, Mules, Mulin, Moles, Mollin, and Mullin. As a result, people with the surname Mählig may be found using any of these variants in different parts of the world, as the spelling of the name has evolved over time.
Famous people with the name Mählig
- Joseph Mählig: German astronomer and academic, known for his work on stellar parallax and the measurement of planetary distances.
- Ernst Mählig: German doctor and founder of the “Diakonische Klinik für die Entwicklung eines neuen Kind durch Hyppotherapie,” a clinic dedicated to the development of a child through hypnotherapy.
- August Mählig: German author and the founder of Naturheilverein, a society dedicated to the cause of natural healing.
- Günter Mählig: German biochemist and geneticist, known for his research into the genetic structure of all living things.
- Patrick Mählig: German actor, director, producer, and writer, a key creative contributor to the German film industry.
- Bernd Mählig: German politician and former minister for European and external affairs.
- Johannes Mählig: German theologian, author, philosopher and leader of the Pietist movement.
- Erwin Mählig: German composer of classical and folk music, known for his works featuring the hurdy-gurdy and other traditional instruments.
- Maria Mählig: German artist and illustrator, renowned for her watercolor paintings depicting flowers, landscapes, and animals.
- Paul Mählig: German obstetrician and gynecologist, renowned for his work in women’s health and childbirth.