Surname Seypelt - Meaning and Origin

Seypelt: What does the surname Seypelt mean?

The last name Seypelt is of German origin and is believed to have been derived from the words ‘See’ and ‘Pelz’ (both meaning ‘lake’ and ‘fur’ in German respectively). The word ‘See’ related to the literal interpretation of such a body of water, while ‘Pelz’ was a reference to the fur trade that was prevalent in Germany centuries ago.

The Combination of these two words, ‘See’ and ‘Pelz’ are thought to refer to a person whose family may have initially been involved in the fur trade, or had originally lived near a lake or body of water.

The Seypelt family name has been found in records throughout Europe- from modern day Germany, France and Poland, to as far away as Sweden and even the United States.

Ultimately, the Seypelt name is traditionally associated with the fur trade, and is known to be a versatile yet unique family name. It is an important reminder of a family's long history and roots to their homeland.

Seypelt: Where does the name Seypelt come from?

The last name Seypelt is most commonly found in Germany today. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages in the German states of Thuringia and Saxony, though there are no records to support this contention.

The name is derived from the Germanic personal name of Sigifrid, which was typically composed of the elements "sigi" meaning "victory" and "frid" meaning "peace". The first known records of the name Seypelt date back to 17th century Hesse and Thuringia.

During the 19th century, many people bearing the Seypelt name migrated to North and South America, so today it might be possible to encounter the name in countries such as Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. Research into the name Seypelt has also revealed that there is a small concentration of individuals with this surname in the USA, primarily in New York and Pennsylvania.

This suggests that a large portion of people with the last name Seypelt still live in the region where it first flourished: Germany. The regions with the highest percentage of individuals bearing this name are Thuringia, Saxony, and Hesse.

Variations of the surname Seypelt

Seypelt is a German surname of toponymic origins, meaning ‘one who comes from Seyffel’, referring to a location or settlement in Western Germany. It is spelled differently depending on the dialectal region of Germany, and there are various variants and spellings of the surname.

One variant spelling of the name Seypelt is Seifelt. It has the same origin as Seypelt, and is believed to be the earliest of the variations. It is not as common today, but was regularly used in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Another variant, and possibly the most common way the surname is spelled today, is Seiffert. This variation emerged in the 19th century, and is a combination of Seifelt and Seypelt.

Spelling variations of the surname include: Seifel, Seippel, Seipelt, Seieppelt, Seypolt, Seypolding, and Seypolder.

Surnames associated with Seypelt include: Seyfert, Seekamp, Setzepfand, Setzepfandt, Setzepfandt, Sipeck, Sippel, Sypolt, and Sypolder. These surnames have a similar origin as Seypelt, either representing a variant spelling of the name, or derived as a shortened version of the original name.

The surname Seypelt is likely to be found all over Germany and beyond, in places where German immigrants settled in the past. It is not common outside of German-speaking areas, however, and is largely unheard of in other parts of the world.

Famous people with the name Seypelt

• Aurel Seypelt: a German Olympic athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in 4 events (200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and the 4x400 meters)
• Matthew Seypelt: a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in 1911
• John Seypelt: an American actor, director, and producer
• George Seypelt: a Welsh footballer who played with Everton in the Football League in the early 1900s
• Samento Seypelt: a Filipino actress who has appeared in a number of film and television productions
• Harold Seypelt: a German poet and the author of several novels
• Steven Seypelt: a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who has played in several leagues, including the National Hockey League
• Donald Seypelt: an American politician who served as the mayor of Galesburg, Illinois
• David Seypelt: an Australian track and field athlete who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 400 meters hurdles
• Jim Seypelt: a former NFL player who was a first round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982

Other surnames

Seypell