Surname Schittel - Meaning and Origin
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Schittel: What does the surname Schittel mean?
The last name Schittel is thought to be of German origin, although there has been some debate in genealogical research. It appears to have been an occupational surname associated with members of a class of people who carried out certain duties in home and farmsteads. The term “schittel” is believed to have its roots in German and refers to a “mattock”– an agricultural implement used for tilling land and planting seed.
It is thought that people who held the Schittel surname were most likely farmers of small fields in the 16th century, when the surname first appears in records. Consequently, the name is likely to have been associated with manual labor and agricultural production. The use of the surname could have been used to distinguish between farmers of larger and smaller plots of land.
More specifically, records suggest that the people carrying the Schittel surname were from the Palatinate region in the Rhineland of what is now Germany and France. The last name likely evolved in the Alpine regions of Bavaria, Swabia and Baden-Wurttemberg. It could also be potentially associated with a village in the Rheinland-Pfalz region called Schiedel, which may have served as an origin of the Schittel surname.
In conclusion, the Schittel surname appears to be of Germanic origin and is thought to have originally been used to distinguish smaller plot farmers from their more well-off counterparts. It is also possibly linked to a specific region, the Palatinate, and may be associated with a village in the Rheinland-Pfalz region named Schiedel.
Order DNA origin analysisSchittel: Where does the name Schittel come from?
The last name Schittel is primarily found in Germany and Switzerland, although there are a few Schittel’s scattered around the world. In Germany, the Schittel name is especially common in the western and southwestern states including Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bavaria. Within these areas, the largest number of Schittel’s live in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, where between them, account for just under 20% of the Schittel population in the country.
In Switzerland, the Schittel family is most prominent in the Canton of Bern, which is home to a large portion of the country’s Schittel’s. Other smaller concentration of the name are located in the Zurich and Valais cantons as well. It is important to note that outside of these countries the Schittel is quite rare.
Due to the fact that the Schittel family is not a prominent name outside of the German-speaking area, the best way to discover more information about them would be to begin with German records. In particular, records from the states mentioned earlier would be the most productive. Additionally, German settlement histories may reveal more about this unique last name.
Variations of the surname Schittel
The surname Schittel is believed to be of German, Polish, Austrian, and Czech origin. It is believed to have a variety of spellings and other related surnames. The most common spelling of the name is Schittel; other variants of the surname include Szittel, Sitel, Szitle, Szitele, Shittel, Shitele, Szittle, Szittel, Szittle, and Shittle.
The name may be derived from the German word "schidel" or "schild” (i.e. shield), indicating that the first bearer of the name may have had some connection to a shield or shields. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Austrian word “schittel” (i.e. beard), suggesting that the first bearer of the name may have had a beard or beards.
In the German language, the surname is generally found with the spelling ‘Schittel’. Austrian variants often have the spelling beginning with Szittel (sometimes Szitle). In Poland, it is generally found with the spelling beginning with Szittle. Czech variants often have the spelling beginning with Shittel or Shitele.
Sometimes the surname is also seen spelled as Schutel, though this may not be related to Schittel, and could be derived from an alternative source.
Related surnames include Schittl, Schittle, Schitt, Schitel, Schitler, and Schittler.
Famous people with the name Schittel
- Karl Schittel (1898–1962), German engineer and pioneer in aeronautics
- Gunter Schittel, (1937–2021), German politician
- Klaus Schittel (born 1931), German philosopher
- Harald Schittel (1936–2015), German historian
- Walter Schittel (1921–2009), German aviator
- Kurt Schittel (1914–1985), German politician and civil servant
- Hans Schittel (1908–1941), German WW2 pilot
- Jan Schittel (1972–present), German entrepreneur
- Eva Schittel (1963–present), German singer
- Bianca Schittel (1991–present), German fashion and lifestyle blogger