Surname Märgel - Meaning and Origin
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Märgel: What does the surname Märgel mean?
The last name Märgel is derived from the German word "Märgel," which means "mud" or "clay." Historically, the surname was likely adopted by a family from a region with a soil characterised by the presence of clay and mud.
In Central and Northern Germany, many villages surrounding rivers and swamps have a long history of settlement. In these regions, the ground would frequently be moist and rich in clay. This made it impossible to plough and cultivate, so people of these villages often found livelihood in fishing or animal husbandry. The surname Märgel may have therefore been a legacy of these early settlers.
In many areas of Northern and Central Europe, the last name Märgel is a relatively common one. In German, Danish, Swedish, and Dutch records, there are multiple variants of the surname, including Marzel, Marzelin, Marzien, Marzen, and Marschalck. The variant of the surname Märgel originated in Northern Germany, and specifically in a region called the Altmark.
In more recent times, families bearing the last name Märgel are generally fairly well integrated in society, and no longer associated with their rural roots. The surname may even have lost any connection to the mud and clay that gave it its origin, but nonetheless, it remains a reminder of a life by the clay-rich rivers of Northern Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisMärgel: Where does the name Märgel come from?
The last name Märgel is of German origin and is most commonly found in present day Germany. It is thought to have first emerged during the Middle Ages and was likely derived from mark, which is an old German term for "border area" or "border land". This stems from the idea that people with this surname likely lived well near a major border.
In the nineteenth century, due to political and social unrest in Germany, many people with this last name migrated to areas of Central Europe, the United States, and even Australia. Presently, the majority of people with the last name Märgel live in Germany. In 2019, records showed that there were over 2,000 individuals living in Germany that had this last name. In addition, there were over 500 individuals living in the United States and in excess of 200 individuals living in Austria with the last name Märgel.
The Märgel name is still carried on today with individuals from all over the world tracing their genealogical roots back to Germany. Though the population isn’t as large as it was in the past, the name lives on and many individuals from different countries share a common ancestry.
Variations of the surname Märgel
Märgel is a surname of German origin. It is believed to have descended from Old High German 'Marihgil', with 'Marih' being a derivative of 'Mary', and 'gil' being a short version of 'gileh', meaning cheerful or pleasant. Variants of the name Märgel are Mergel, Marzell, and Marsell.
Spellings of the surname Märgel can include Markel, Marchel, Markell, Markcel, and Merkel. Surnames of similar etymological origin include Meisel, Miesel, Mersel, and Missale. With slight variations in spelling, Märgel can also be seen as Margel, Margoll, Marjol, and Marjell.
A few other surnames with similar origins can be found in various cultures. In French, these are given as Marger, Margeron, Marjerin, Marjineau, Marjon, Marjorie, and Marjorin. In Polish, variations include Margoly, Marzol, Marzala, Marzec, and Marzoly. In English, surnames can be seen as Marsell, Marjoram, Marjoribanks, Mergel, and Marrall.
Other surnames related to the German Märgel include Mergeles, Mergelz, Margull, Marjoleine, Marjerin, Margell, Marjaleina, and Marger. These variants are often found in regions with German-speaking populations.
In summary, the surname Märgel has numerous spelling and surname variants across different cultures. Variants include Mergel, Marzell, Marsell, Markel, Marchel, Markell, Markcel, Merkel, Meisel, Miesel, Mersel, Missale, Margel, Margoll, Marjol, Marjell, Marger, Margeron, Marjerin, Marjineau, Marjon, Marjorie, Marjorin, Margoly, Marzol, Marzala, Marzec, Marzoly, Marsell, Marjoram, Marjoribanks, Mergel, Marrall, Mergeles, Mergelz, Margull, Marjoleine, Marjerin, Margell, Marjaleina, and Marger.
Famous people with the name Märgel
- Thilo Märgel, a German sport shooter who served as a Captain in the German National Military.
- Franz Märgel, a former German football player who played for SpVgg Offenburg.
- Ruprecht Märgel, a German former cyclist who won the sprint time trial at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
- Annette Märgel-Hesse, a German linguist and a professor of English and German linguistics at the University of Kiel.
- Ulrich Märgel, a German former gymnast and Olympic champion in rings, parallel bars and team event.
- Jürgen Märgel, a German former professional footballer who spent eight seasons in the Bundesliga with VfL Bochum and Fortuna Düsseldorf.
- Georg Märgel, a German former rower who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.
- Dieter Märgel, a German former footballer and coach.
- Heidrun Märgel, a German actress.
- Christa Märgel, a German actress.