Surname Sjönell - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Sjönell: What does the surname Sjönell mean?
The last name Sjönell is a Swedish surname. It is derived from the words "sjö," which means sea, and "nell," which means clear in Swedish. The combined term Sjönell translates to "clear sea," and may refer to a place near water or an area with a great view of the ocean. People with this surname often have background from a small fishing village near the sea, where the first Sjönells lived generations ago.
In other cases, the name Sjönell may also have come from someone's occupation in the past. It is possible that the early family bearing the surname Sjönell profited from the sea through fishing or sailing. This could be to explain why a particular region has a concentration of Sjönells.
Today, Sjönells are widely spread around the world. The surname is most popular in the Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark, but it can also be found in the United States, Canada, Germany and Australia, to name a few. Its descendants carry the same meaning as the first Sjönells did centuries ago - to be connected to the sea.
Order DNA origin analysisSjönell: Where does the name Sjönell come from?
The last name Sjönell is most often associated with Sweden. The Swedish spelling of the name is typically "Sjönell," meaning "son of the sea," and many of the Sjönell family members still reside in Sweden. Although it is not a particularly common surname, today the Sjönell family can be found in several areas throughout the country, including in the major cities of Stockholm, Göteborg, and Malmö.
In addition to Sweden, the Sjönell family is also found in other Scandinavian countries including Norway and Denmark, as well as in Finland, where it is spelled “Siönel.” Additionally, the surname Sjönell was brought to the United States by Swedish immigrants who settled there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is thought that families mainly resided in the Midwest, particularly in Minnesota and Wisconsin, although the Sjönell family members can be found throughout the country today.
Surnames such as this are often closely tied to their as homeland, which is where the Sjönell family continues to thrives today. While the name itself may not be all that common, it has been preserved in the Scandinavian cultures of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, as well as in those of the United States through the stories and lineage of past generations.
Variations of the surname Sjönell
The surname Sjönell is a Swedish surname with variations in spelling, origin and meaning. The exact origin of the name is not known, but it is believed to have originated from a Swedish word meaning “sea” or “198”, combined with the Old Norse suffix -ell, meaning “offspring” or “descended from”.
The variants of Sjönell are spelled mainly as Sjonell, Sjoonell or Sjöonell. There is also another variant of the name, spelled Shonell or Shönell. This variant of the name appears to have a different origin and is believed to have been derived from a Middle Low German word meaning “shoemaker”.
The surnames Shönell or Shonell may also be alternatively spelled Shinall, Sinell and Shinell. These spellings also have a Middle Low German origin and are based on the Old German word “schinnan”, meaning “fashion” or “custom”.
The variants of Sjönell all appear to have regional variations. This can be seen is in the Swedish spelling of Sjöonell, which is derived from the Swedish word sjöarn, meaning “sea” or “198”.
Despite having regional variations, the underlying meaning and origin of the surname Sjönell is relatively consistent, appearing to be derived from a combination of Old Norse and Middle Low German word roots and referring to either “an offspring of the sea” or “descendants of a shoemaker”.
Famous people with the name Sjönell
- Joel Sjöönell, a Swedish actor who starred in several films including Harry Munter (1995) and Dalecarlians (2003).
- Petra Sjönell, a Swedish film actress and producer who has worked on numerous films including Rosa Morena (2002) and Empty Eyes (2006).
- Leander Sjönell, a Swedish political scientist and journalist who has written extensively about the political systems of Scandinavia.
- Maria Sjönell, a Swedish sculptor and visual artist who is best known for her minimalist installation works.
- Maria Franciska Sjönell, a Swedish author and columnist who wrote the novel Time After Time in 2011.
- Elin Sjönell, a Swedish figure skater who competed in both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Louise Sjönell, a Swedish model and Instagram influencer who rose to fame after being featured in Maxim magazine in 2017.
- Victoria Sjönell, a Swedish Instagram star and clothing designer who created a fashion line inspired by modern minimalism.
- Emma Sjönell, a Swedish fashion and editorial photographer who has shot for numerous publications including Vogue and Elle.
- Erik Sjönell, a Swedish filmmaker and screenwriter whose credits include the films Paradise (2014) and Earth Song (2016).