Surname Moehle - Meaning and Origin
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Moehle: What does the surname Moehle mean?
The last name Moehle is believed to be of Germanic origin. The earliest known recorded version of the name is Möhlmann, which can be found in the medieval records of the city of Cologne dating back to the 13th century. It derives from the Middle High German word "möhle" meaning "mill" or "millstone". The name is likely to refer to someone who worked in or owned a mill, or more particularly a millstone grinder.
Moehle is also found as a variant of Mohle, and Mule, which is derived from the same root word. It is likely that these last names originated in a single extended family or location, gradually becoming distinct spelling variants over the centuries as a result of local dialect and/or spelling variations.
The earliest known recorded version of the last name Moehle dates from 1360, when a Muhlmon of Cologne is noted in the records of the Cologne city archives. Other records can be found throughout Germany over the ensuing centuries.
Overall, the last name Moehle is found predominantly in Northern Germany, in the states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Bremen. It is possible there are some distant connections to other countries due to migrations, but Moehle remains one of the more common Germanic surnames in the Northern German region. It is frequently encountered when researching ancestors from this region.
Order DNA origin analysisMoehle: Where does the name Moehle come from?
The last name Moehle is most common today in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. It is also present in other parts of Europe, particularly in France, as well as in western Russia and other former German areas in Europe, like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Moehle is a German language surname, meaning "the miller" or "the miller's dwelling".
Moehle is known to have been extremely popular in Germany during the 19th century, especially in the rural parts of some states such as Bavaria. In fact, at one point it was the sixth most common family name in the Bavarian kingdom. It appears to have been most popular in the country after 1820, when a big surge in its use was recorded in the surname census of that time. This was due to migrants from other areas of Germany to Bavaria, especially to its rural parts, in search of better economic opportunities.
In Germany, the name is still used by many families today, and the same is true for parts of Europe in which speakers of German are found, although to a lesser extent. In recent decades, as a result of migrations and population movements, it has also become common in parts of the United States, Canada, and Latin America, where German emigrants settled.
Variations of the surname Moehle
The surname Moehle is a Germanic patronymic surname derived from the personal name Möhle, which itself is derived from the Middle High German mōhle or mūhle meaning mill. Common variants and spellings of the surname include Moehlen, Möhlen, Möhle, Muhle, Mohle, Mohlen, and Muhlen. In the United States, the variant spelling Mohl is most commonly seen.
In some countries, the surname has been altered to Millar, Muller and Mueller which is more closely related to the Old German word mulinari meaning miller or militari meaning soldier. In the United Kingdom, the variant spelling Myle is more frequent.
In France, the spelling remains Moehle but there are a variety of variants including Moule, Moulin, Mullen, Mulley, Mullin, Millon and Millot. In the Netherlands, the spelling has been altered to Mol, De Moele, Meole, and Mölle. In Lithuania, Moehle has been transliterated to Mėlė.
In Denmark, the name is Møller which is derived from the Old Norse word mōlari meaning miller. While Austria has the variants Möll and Mühl, Switzerland has Mühle and Müller.
Finally, there are the variants Mowle and Moyle, which can be found in countries such as England, Ireland, and Scotland. Rate of prevalence for this surname is higher in the northern European countries of Germany, Denmark, France, and Austria.
Famous people with the name Moehle
- Brendan Moehle: American long-distance runner and the winner of the 2018 Buffalo marathon.
- Skipper Moehle: American major league baseball player who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Jonathan Moehle: American professional chess grandmaster and chess coach.
- Bob Moehle: American engineer and professor who invented the Ice-o-Matic, the first home ice-making machine.
- Paul Moehle: American photographer and filmmaker who is the founder and CEO of Lensed Out Media.
- Sissy Moehle: Austrian singer and songwriter who released her debut album, “Perfect Place” in 2007.
- Joachim Moehle: German architect who designed several iconic buildings in the Rhine Valley, including the Konkordienhaus in Bad-Kissingen.
- Curtis Moehle: American professional cyclist, who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
- Chase Moehle: American actor who appeared in the hit television show, “Revenge.”
- Warren Moehle: American author and poet, nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1987 for his collection of poems ‘Invocation to the Spirit.’