Surname Musil - Meaning and Origin
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Musil: What does the surname Musil mean?
The last name Musil is a topographical name that was derived from a person who lived near a marsh or a mud-hole. This surname is of Slavic origin and is most commonly found in German-speaking countries, including Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. It can also be found in other countries throughout Europe.
The surname Musil is believed to have started out as the Czech and/or Slovak word ‘musil’ which means ‘muddy’. It is thought that the last name then referred to individuals who were from a settlement that was near a marsh or mud-hole, hence the surname Musil.
There are other variations of the surname such as Musiol, Musal, Musiel, and Musel. It is thought that the spelling with the suffix -il might be more common in Central Europe, while the other variations may be more common in Northern and Eastern Europe.
The surname also appears in literature, such as the works of Austrian novelist Robert Musil. Famous Austrian physicist Heinrich Musil was born just after World War II in Vienna.
Despite its humble beginnings, the surname Musil has become widespread throughout Europe and the world. It is a reminder of the symbolism of mud and muddiness and how people associated with that feature were identified.
Order DNA origin analysisMusil: Where does the name Musil come from?
The last name Musil is most commonly found in Central Europe, particularly in Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. According to a recent study, the name is the 342nd most popular name in those countries, which tallies about 6,390 people with the last name Musil. In the Czech Republic, Musil is the 87th most common last name.
In the United States, the last name Musil is not as popular. The U.S. Census records just over 900 people with the name Musil. It is the 18,738th most common last name in the United States.
In the United Kingdom, only about 100 people have the name Musil. It is the 37,230th most common last name, and ranks as the 366th most popular name in the United Kingdom.
The last name Musil likely originated in Slavic a long time ago, and has been used for centuries in Central Europe. It is still in use today, though the distribution is not as widespread as it once was. Nevertheless, the name is still quite common in Central Europe and is slowly expanding in other parts of Europe and the world.
Variations of the surname Musil
The surname Musil originates in Central Europe and is predominantly found in Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. Variants of the surname include: Musel, Musiel, Mushl, Musyl, Musill, Musal and Musill.
The spelling of the surname is often changed to accommodate local dialects. In the Czech language, for example, the “u” may be changed to an “o”, and the “i” may be changed to a “y” or “i”, resulting in the variants Musol, Mysil and Musyl. Similarly, the “s” can be changed to a “z” resulting in Muszl and Musil.
In Austria and Germany, Musil is typically written as Moesel and Musel. In some cases, the double “s” can be written as a single “S”, resulting in the variant Musl.
In some cases, Musil may also be attached to a different surname, such as Mužílko, Musilová, Musilova or Musilowicz. Additionally, Musil can also be found as a suffix to a first name in Czech-speaking countries, such as Ota Musil or Karel Musil.
Some of the other surnames and spellings associated with the name include Musall, Musilman, Musl, Musa, Musylla, Masel, Mushla, Musilo, Musiela, Muśla, Musillus and Musilli.
Famous people with the name Musil
- Robert Musil (1880: 1942): Austrian novelist, playwright and poet from Vienna. He is mainly remembered for his unfinished epic, Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften (The Man without Qualities).
- Mladena Musil (1924: 2008): Czech geographer and author born in Brno. She primarily focused on the study of regional history and manuscript research.
- Michaela Musil (1966:): Czech documentary filmmaker from Prague. She is best known for writing and directing the docudrama ‘Vition Perspective’ in 2008.
- Tadeusz Musil (1921: 2010): Czech archaeologist, professor at Charles University in Prague, and part of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
- Ladislav Musil (1945:): Czech former professional ice hockey player. He spent most of his career playing for Dukla Jihlava, and was part of the Czechoslovak national team during the 1966 World Championships.
- Hedvika Musil (1895: 1966): Czech actress, born in Brno. She had a successful film career in the 1920s and 1930s, with notable credits including the 1936 comedy ‘Malý princ na panenském ostrově’ (The Little Prince on the Virgin Island’).
- Václav Musil (1925: 2013): Czech nuclear physicist, professor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Brno and part of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences.
- Stanislav Musil (1933: 2011): Czech former professional ice hockey player. A brawny right winger, he was part of the Czechoslovak national team during the 1960 Winter Olympics.
- Peter Musil (1906: 1984): Czech linguist and literary historian from Prague. He was a prominent scholar of the life and works of 18th century writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller and Heinrich Heine.
- Viktor Musil (1936: 2007): Czech historian and political activist from Prague. A vocal opponent of the communist regime, he took part in the 1968 Prague Spring demonstration along with other student protesters.