Surname Shnell - Meaning and Origin
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Shnell: What does the surname Shnell mean?
The last name Shnell is of German origin and is related to the Angrian snell, which was a nickname for someone with a cheerful disposition. The actual meaning of the name is “happy” or “pleasant”, and it is thought to have originally been derived from the Old High German word snel, which meant “swift”.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, most of the people bearing the surname Shnell could be found in the former Prussian-dominated states of North and Central Germany. It is likely that the name was spread to different parts of the world by German immigrants.
The most likely source for the name is from the Jewish version of Shnell, which is the biblical name Schanuel. This Jewish variant likely originated in Poland, where it was likely a variant of the already existing German-Jewish surname Schnell. This suggests that the Jewish family bearing the last name were likely related to the families of the same name in Germany.
Today, the Shnell surname can be found all over the world due to the migration of the families bearing the name. It is fairly rare, but still quite popular in the United States and a few other countries. It is still quite common in Germany and other parts of Central Europe.
The meaning of the surname Shnell is a reminder that joy can be found in any situation, and that even in the face of adversity, happiness and contentment can still be achieved.
Order DNA origin analysisShnell: Where does the name Shnell come from?
The last name Shnell is most commonly found in Germany and the Czech Republic. It is unclear how the surname originated, but it is thought to be of Germanic or Slavic descent. The Slavic origin may be related to the word meaning “brave.” According to German records, the surname has been recorded in various forms such as Schnell, Snell, Schnele, Schneller, or Schnelle since the 17th century.
Today, the last name Shnell is still quite common in Germany. A search of the telephone directory for the German cities of Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg returns numerous listings of people with the surname. Additionally, the Czech Republic has many people with the last name Shnell, as well.
In the United States, the name Shnell is quite rare, though there are some people who have it in a few states. The 1880 census reported a single individual with the surnamed listed in the state of Wisconsin. Additionally, the 1940 federal census reported a few dozen individuals with the last name in various states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and California.
Although the last name Shnell is not all that common in the United States, the name can still be found in certain parts of the country. For those living in Germany and the Czech Republic, the surname is still common and can be found in numerous telephone directory listings.
Variations of the surname Shnell
Schnell is an anglicized spelling of the German surname Schönle, originating from a variant of the name Schonleiter, which translates to “beautiful ladder”, and refers to a person who was strong enough to physically carry a ladder to do his work. The meaning behind the name is reflected in the various alternate spellings and surnames of the same origin, including ShHenry, Shnanel, Shneeley, Sehnel, Shonaill, Shanell, and Shannonel.
The surname Schönleiter traces back to Bavaria, where it is found in records dating as early as the 16th century, although its exact origin is unknown. In Germany, the spelling is most commonly found in the southern region of Bavaria, and even there it is more often spelled as Schönleiter as opposed to Schnell.
In the United States, the surname Schnell is most commonly found in various immigration records from the 19th and early 20th century, when many German and Austrian Jews immigrated to the United States. Many of these immigrants anglicized their names in order to make them easier to pronounce for English speakers, and it is likely that these immigrants are responsible for the different variations of the surname.
Today, though the surname Shnell is still seen in the United States, it is quite uncommon and most people who bear the surname trace their ancestry back to German or Austrian immigrants. Though the exact origin of the name may never be known, the various variants of the surname demonstrate the strength of the original person who carried a ladder.
Famous people with the name Shnell
- Margaret Schnell: German Figure Skater
- Joe Schnell: U.S. Olympic Men's Water Polo Captain
- Simon Schnell: American clarinetist
- Lewis Schnell: German-American painter
- Linda Schnell: colleague of Norbert Wiener
- Phillip Schnell: founder of the Schnell & Co. jewelry store in Kansas City, Missouri
- Frank Schnell: award-winning cinematographer
- Steven Schnell: Olympic athlete
- Harry Schnell: U.S. Army Officer awarded the Silver Star
- Richard Schnell: Hollywood costume designer
- Edward Schnell: jazz saxophonist
- Gerhard Schnell: German Architect
- Fred Schnell: U.S. Naval Academy graduate
- Herbert Schnell: German linguist
- Scott Schnell: New York Times correspondent