Surname Schmidel - Meaning and Origin
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Schmidel: What does the surname Schmidel mean?
The surname Schmidel is of Ashkenazi Jewish origin and is derived from the Yiddish word "schmaltz," which means "fat" or "butter." This surname was likely given to a person who cooked using a lot of fat or butter in their recipes.
The Schmidel surname is found predominantly in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and the United States. There is evidence suggesting that the surname was already in use as early as the 16th century in Germany. The earliest known recorded use of the name is from 1575 in the city of Merseburg.
Schmidel is an uncommon surname and is likely to have numerous variations. Some of these variations are Schmeidel, Schmeedel, Schneidel, Schneeble, Shmiedel, and Schmustel.
The name is most likely to have been adopted as a descriptor of the person carrying the name, with it being used to indicate a particular profession or skill. It is likely that Schmidel would initially have been used as a personal nickname and then eventually adopted as a family name.
In modern day, because the surname is so uncommon, it is difficult to tell which families are still related to the original Schmidel family. It is possible, however, to research the Schmidel surname further by looking for Schmidel-associated documents in records and archives on ancestry websites.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmidel: Where does the name Schmidel come from?
The last name Schmidel is most commonly found today in the United States and Germany. It is believed to have originated in Germany. Outside of Europe, many people can trace their Schmidel ancestry to emigres who arrived in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The surname is found in some records as early as the 16th century in Bavaria, Germany.
In the U.S., the Schmidel family can be found mostly in the Midwest. According to Ancestry.com, the states of Ohio, Wisconsin, and Indiana in particular have high concentrations of people bearing the surname. Minnesota, Missouri, and Illinois also show fair amounts.
There is also a family, originally from Germany, that is believed to have founded the town of Schmidtsville in western Pennsylvania in the latter part of the 19th century. This town is still home to descendants of the Schmidts family today, although the exact numbers can’t be determined.
In Germany, Schmidel is much more common, verging on being a relatively common name. The name is also very similarly spelled in its original German dialect, “Schmiedel”. It is still primarily found in the Bavarian region, around Munich in particular, where the original Schmidel family originated.
Variations of the surname Schmidel
The surname Schmidel is German in origin. It is derived from the 13th century personal name Schmied (blacksmith) and translates to Smith or Smitty.
Variants of the surname include Schmedel, Schmidl, Schmiedel, Schmetz, Schmödel, Schmit, Schmitt, Schmittl, Schmitz, Schmutz, Schmudel, Schmudt, Schmuls, Schmulz, Schmidt, Schmid, Schmieder, Schmiedt and Smidt.
Spellings of the surname include Schmidle, Schmiedle, Schmeedle, Schmedle, Schmite, Schmitte, Schmittel, Schmiddel, Schmiidel, Schmiedtl, Schmietl, Schmitell, Schmitzle, Schmüddel, Schmützel, Schmützle, Schmützle, Schmidtel and Schmidtel.
Surnames of the same origin as Schmidel include Schmith, Schmidt, Smith, Smiley and Smitty.
The surname has also been adopted by some Jewish families and is, in this instance, pronounced ‘shmee-dell’. Variants of this include Shimel, Shimeles and Schimel. Spellings of this include Schimel, Schimeles, Schimill and Schimilles.
Famous people with the name Schmidel
- Michael Schmidl: He is an Austrian alpine ski racer who competes in slalom and giant slalom. He made his debut in the World Cup in 2016, and currently holds the title of Austrian national champion in slalom.
- Barbara K. Schmidl: She is an American geographer and professor in the department of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland. She has also written multiple books, including 'Reforming the Community of Inquiry: Space and Institutions in Graduate Education'.
- Hartmut Schmidel: He is a German sociologist and professor of sociology at the Goethe University Frankfurt. Since his appointment to the faculty of sociology in 1996, he has researched and published various academic works in the field of social theory, globalisation and immigration.
- Adam Schmidel: Adam Schmidel is an American comedy writer and producer known for his work on the television shows Cold Case and The Goldbergs. He is also a contributing writer to The New Yorker and Greensboro Review.
- Agnes Schmidel: Agnes Schmidel is an Austrian director and producer. She had her directorial debut for the film ‘Der Einzelgänger’ in 2018.
- Johannes Schmidel: Johannes Schmidel was a 16th-century German explorer. He has written several accounts of his travels, including one to the New World in 1534. His travels are widely believed to be the first document of European exploration in South America.