Surname Neßel - Meaning and Origin
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Neßel: What does the surname Neßel mean?
The last name Neßel is German in origin and derived from the German word "nesel," which can refer to a small trickle or stream of water. It was likely a nickname or topographical name that was originally given to someone who lived near a small stream or river. It is also possible that the name Neßel was derived from Old Germanic words meaning “edge,” or from a version of the German word "nass," meaning "wet" or "moist."
The Neßel surname first appeared in medieval Bavarian documents dating back to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. At that time, the Neßel family was widely distributed throughout Bavaria and other parts of Germany. Over the centuries, the surname spread to other Germanic countries, such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Today, the Neßel name can be found in many parts of the world, due to the mass migration of people during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The Neßel surname is common in the United States, Canada and other parts of the English-speaking world, likely due to immigrants who carried the name when they arrived in North America. While the most common spelling is Neßel, it can also appear as Nessel, Nesselo, and Nessler, depending on various dialects. All of these spellings and variations are derived from the same source.
Order DNA origin analysisNeßel: Where does the name Neßel come from?
The name Neßel is most commonly found in German-speaking areas today, particularly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is rarer in other countries; however, many people with German origins may also have the surname.
The origin of the name Neßel is rooted in the Middle Ages, with the earliest known record going back to the year 1278 in the Silesia province of Germany. According to various sources, the name likely derived from 'Nesil', an old German name derived from the word 'Nest'. It was bestowed on an individual who lived near a nest, and may suggest that it was used to describe bird-catchers.
The variation of the surname 'Neßel' is still seen today and can be found in records in many areas. In Germany, the name can be found in the North Rhine-Westphalia and the Lippe regions of the country, as well as in Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony-Anhalt and the broader Rheinland region.
The surname Neßel is also present in Austria, although it is somewhat rarer. It is seen most commonly in regions bordering Germany, such as Tirol and Vienna, but can also be found further afield in places like Oberosterreich and Styria. In Switzerland, it appears more often in the German-speaking community, with a few occurrences in areas such as Zurich and Basel.
In summary, the last name Neßel is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as in other parts of Europe where communities of German origin are found.
Variations of the surname Neßel
The surname Neßel has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the most common ones include Nessel, Nessle, Nessl, Nessel, and Nesl.
Nessel and Nessle are the most commonly used spellings, which are variations of the original surname. The spelling Nessel or Nessle originated from the Middle High German word "nassel" which was used to describe a kind of animal fur, and the plural form of this word in Middle High German was "nasselen".
Nessl and Nessel are also two other popular spellings of the surname Neßel. The spelling Nessl is derived from the Middle German word "Nessel", and the spelling Nessel is a combination of the Middle German word "Nessel" and the suffix "-el".
The surname Nesl is another variant of Neßel and is derived from the Middle High German word "Nes(se)l" which means "Small, sparsely vegetated area of land".
Overall, all of these surnames and spellings stem from the Middle High German word “nassel” and have been used over time to create different variants.
Famous people with the name Neßel
- Florian Neßel: a German musician, singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer.
- Yvonne Neßel: an award-winning German film and television actress.
- Rüdiger Neßel: a former German race car driver who competed in Formula One.
- Anton Neßel: a German film and television actor best known for his roles on the television series Tatort.
- Christoph Neßel: a German writer and poet who has published numerous works of poetry, drama and fiction.
- Paul Neßel: a former German sports shooter who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.
- Peter Neßel: a former footballer from East Germany who played for 1. FC Magdeburg and the East German national team.
- Michael Neßel: a former German football player who played for several clubs including Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart.
- Fritz Neßel: a German businessman who founded the Neßel GmbH & Co. KG, a food store chain.
- Jörg Neßel: a German politician who served as the Minister for Education and Research of the State of Lower Saxony from 1991 to 1994.