Surname Nägeli - Meaning and Origin
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read moreNägeli: What does the surname Nägeli mean?
The last name Nägeli is of Swiss-German origin, and is sometimes spelled Naegele or Naegeli. It's derived from the Old High German word "nagal," which means "a piece of wood with spikes protruding from it," such as a nail or spike. This could be an occupational last name for someone who worked with metal or wood and needed to use nails—most likely a carpenter or blacksmith. Over time, the surname came to represent people with an excellent head for business and financial success, since nails were such a crucial item in the trades.
The Nägeli surname is now found primarily in Switzerland, having grown out of the Swiss Confederation's Smaller Burghausen Treaty of 1647. It has also spread to Germany, where people with this last name settled in the region of the Palatinate, around the town of Bad Duerkheim.
Nägeli is still a relatively rare last name today—according to the Genealogical Digital Library of the German Language, there were only 1,689 persons in Germany with this name in 2015. Perhaps because of its Germanic roots, the Nägeli surname has become increasingly rare in America, with just over 500 people registered with this name.
As with many last names of Germanic origin, the term Nägeli was most likely initially used as an occupation-based descriptor. Over the centuries, this name has grown to represent a hard-working, determined people with a knack for succeeding in business and industry.
Order DNA origin analysisNägeli: Where does the name Nägeli come from?
Today, the last name Nägeli is commonly found in regions of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. The most common reasons for the name's prevalence in the area can be traced back to the 17th century when the Swiss Confederation, and German principalities such as Bavaria and W?rttemberg began experiencing population growth. Because of this, a greater number of families bearing this last name began to settle in these regions.
Today, the last name Nägeli is still quite popular in those areas, particularly in Germany and Switzerland. According to genealogical databases and an analysis of surname distributions conducted by a recent Swiss census, approximately 33,651 people in Switzerland and 14,605 people in Germany bear the name. Austria also has a notable population of Nägeli, with around 4,853 people registered by the 2006 census.
Despite its popularity in these regions, the last name is quite rare outside of the Alpine area. It is believed that some members of this last name have emigrated to the United States, and other parts of Europe, however, the name's prevalence in these locations is not as pronounced as it is within Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
In summary, the last name Nägeli is still relatively popular in the Alpine region and is most commonly found in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Outside of the Alpine region, the surname is much less common and is rarely found beyond these countries.
Variations of the surname Nägeli
The surname Nägeli has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Nägeli is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German word "nagel" meaning "nail". Therefore, it is likely that the earlier versions of this surname would have been "Nageler", "Nagels", and "Nagelmann". It is also possible that the surname may have been further adapted to "Nägler", "Nägeler", and "Nägelmann".
The German spelling of Nägeli is also seen with the German/Swiss surnames Nägli, Nägle, Näglich, Nägelin, Näglein, Nägli-Meyer, Nageli, Nageler, Nagelmann, Nagels, and Nageler.
In addition, the surname Nägeli is also seen in other countries, such as the Czech "Naegel", the Hungarian "Nagel", and the Swedish "Nägle". The Polish versions of the surname include "Nagl" and "Nagiel".
Nägeli is often seen in combination with other surnames. This includes the German variants "Nägeli-Müller", "Nägeli-Bohnenblust", and "Nägeli-Stadelmann". In the Czech Republic, the surname is combined with "Naegel-Vojtek" and in Poland it is combined with "Nagl-Skowronek".
Overall, the surname Nägeli has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. This makes it possible for families to trace its origins and find family members across different countries.
Famous people with the name Nägeli
- August Karl von Nägeli (1817-1891), a Swiss botanist and professor of botany at the University of Zurich
- Carl Nägeli (1817-1891), a Swiss botanist and professor of zoology at the University of Zurich
- Mathias Nägeli (1811-1883), a Swiss entomologist and zoologist
- Ulrike Nägeli (1910-2003), a Swiss composer
- Hans Conrad Nägeli (1775-1836), a Swiss music publisher
- Thomas Nägeli (1799-1884), a Swiss musician, composer and teacher
- August Nägeli (1825-1886), a Swiss zoologist
- Ernest Charles Nägeli (1874-1929), a Swiss mycologist
- Thomas Nägeli (born 1946), a Swiss mycologist
- Emme Nägeli (born 1945), a Swedish actress and singer