Surname Seckels - Meaning and Origin
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Seckels: What does the surname Seckels mean?
The last name Seckels is of German origin, deriving from the ancient Germanic name Sigiskil, meaning “victor in battle.” This could refer to a family that had a proud history of warriors and warriorship.
In the Middle Ages in Germany, many foot soldiers were recruited from the Seckels family, who served in the army of various local rulers, and gave them their loyalty. Seckels is also an occupational surname deriving from the German word secken, meaning to cut, meaning that originated from the ancient practice of herding and the practice of shearing sheep. This could suggest a probable history of the Seckels family associated with sheep herding and woolworking.
Today, the Seckels surname is still found in Germany, but has also spread around the world. The Seckels name is used primarily in the United States, where it is found in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin.
In other countries, the Seckels name has evolved into many different spellings, including Seckel, Secco, Seclee, Seccles, and Seckells. It has also been associated with the Jewish Sekl family, in which case the last name could have a different meaning and origin.
The Seckels surname is an example of how the influence and power of a family have been able to stretch across time and geography. Whether it's a proud history of warriors, sheep herding, or woolworking, it’s still a reminder of the Seckels family’s long and fascinating journey.
Order DNA origin analysisSeckels: Where does the name Seckels come from?
The surname Seckels is a German surname that is relatively uncommon today. Records dated back to the 1600s in Germany indicate that a Seckels family lived in the area of Schleswig-Holstein. The name was likely derived from the German word "seckle" meaning grain particle or measure, suggesting the family may have been involved in grain trading or the milling of grains.
Today, it is most commonly found in more densely populated areas of Germany, particularly around the city of Euskirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia. Beyond Germany, the surname Seckels can be found in parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia.
In the US, the earliest records of the Seckels family date back to the late 1800s when two Seckels brothers, Friedrich and Lothar, emigrated from Germany and settled in Wisconsin. According to US census records, Seckels families are primarily found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and California.
Seckels is a relatively uncommon name and those who bear it today can trace their roots that lead back to their ancestral home in Germany.
Variations of the surname Seckels
Seckels is a German surname of aristocratic origin. This unique surname is a patronymic version of the personal name Eckart, which is derived from the Germanic elements "eck", meaning "edge", and "hart", referring to courage. It is likely that the earliest bearers of the Seckels surname chosen it due to its symbolic meaning.
As Seckels is a rare and relatively uncommon surname, there are few variants and spelling variations. Such variations include Seckel, Seckle, Seckenleben, Segel, Segelsecker, Seksel, Sekelle, Seiola, and Siegel.
Some variation of the Seckels may have arisen from errors or variations made by the scribe when copying a name from one particular document to another document, or they may have developed as relatives moved from their particular village or area.
A few of the contemporary surnames of Seckels have been anglicized by some families in the United States and other English-speaking countries, such as Seckel to Siegel, Seckenleben to Seckle, and Seiola to Seigel.
The most common variant of Seckels is Seckle, which is recorded in some United States records. Other variants and anglicized forms are Segels, Seckelson, Sickels, Sigel, Segels, Szecksl, Seikels, Sickel, Seckals and Seckl.
Famous people with the name Seckels
- Fred Seckel (American optometrist)
- Richard Seckel (American inventor)
- Alfred Seckel (German publisher and author)
- Alfred Seckel Jr. (American painter, sculptor, designer, and teacher)
- Christian Seckel (German candlemaker)
- Rudolf Seckel (German composer and conductor)
- Heinrich Seckel (German painter)
- Freda Seckel (American baseball player)
- Theodor Seckel (German poet and author)
- Claudio Seckel (Brazilian actor)
- Rudolph Seckel (German lawyer, politician, and writer)
- Wolfgang Seckel (German football player)
- Oskar Seckel (German artist and medical doctor)
- Johanna Seckel (Austrian writer)
- Hermann Seckel (German geologist, botanist, and collector)