Surname Stengeli - Meaning and Origin
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Stengeli: What does the surname Stengeli mean?
The last name Stengeli is derived from the German name Stengel, which is derived from the Old German words “stain” meaning a ‘stalk of a plant’ and “gala” meaning ‘rod’ or ‘lance’.
The German surname Stengeli was likely given to a person who lived close to a field where these plants grew, or who had a profession related to them. It could also suggest a family who specialized in making rods, lances, or arrows. Additionally, it could have been acquired by someone who lived near a small stream, creek, or river called a stengel.
The modern surname Stengeli is found mostly in North America where it arrived in the 18th and 19th centuries. People with this surname are concentrated in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin and found in small numbers in other states.
People with the Stengeli surname tend to be hardworking and have a strong creative streak. They are known to be adventurous and tend to think outside of the box. They are passionate and enjoy taking on new challenges. They are also great listeners and are adept problem solvers, and are capable of developing new solutions to problems. Lastly, they are loyal and dedicated to their friends, family, and communities.
Order DNA origin analysisStengeli: Where does the name Stengeli come from?
The last name Stengeli is quite rare today. It is most commonly associated with people of German or Swiss origin, although it may also have connections to other areas of Europe. It is likely derived from the pre-Germanic personal name Stein or Steinkel, which includes the prefix “Stein” meaning stone or rock, and the suffix “geli” meaning servant or soldier.
The surname Stengeli is most commonly found in German-speaking countries. In Germany, it is most concentrated in Rheinland-Pfalz - where it is the 6th most common family name - and in Bavaria, where it is the 16th most common family name. It is also found in significant numbers in Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the name appears with moderate frequency in records from the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, and The Netherlands.
In the United States, the census taken in 2020 revealed that Stengeli was the 24,135th most common surname. There are currently around 800 people living in the United States with the surname Stengeli; the number of people bearing the name is thought to have peaked around 1880-1910, when there may have been around 1,000 people living in the United States with this name. Outside of the major German-speaking countries, there appears to be a small decline in the number of people bearing the name Stengeli.
Variations of the surname Stengeli
Variants of the surname Stengeli include Stangeli, Stangl, Stengl, and Stangli. All of these spellings are thought to have arisen from a single surname, which was used by Germanic people in the 17th century.
Stengeli is an occupational surname, derived from the old German word "stang" meaning stake or rod. It is thought that the earliest people who used this surname were either shepherds, builders, or woodsmen. Stengeli is also thought to be a variation on the surname Stängle, which is derived from the same root word. It is believed that Stängle may have been used to indicate that an individual was either living in a village looked over by a fence or stake, or working in such a village.
The Stangl variation may have been derived from an Echoism, meaning that the surname was modified to look or sound more like what it originally was. This may potentially provide clues as to the origin of the family, as Germanic regions are known to have had strong resonance in their language. The Stangli spelling may have been derived from the same origin word and used to indicate that an individual was working in a field or sheltered enclosure.
Overall, all of the variations of this surname (Stengeli, Stangeli, Stangl, Stengl, and Stangli) are thought to have a common origin, and are suggestive of a strong heritage that dates back centuries. Despite the potential variation in spelling, all variations express the same root meaning and sense of history, and can be seen as a single surname that unites many families.
Famous people with the name Stengeli
- Bill Stengeli: professional baseball player who most prominently played in the MLB from 1950-1962.
- Joe Stengeli: professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1948-1957.
- Mel Stengeli: American silent film actor best known for his roles in The Challenge Accepted (1918) and The Man Who Found Himself (1917).
- Tina Stengel: German javelin thrower who represented her native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, 1984 and 1988.
- Chippie Stengeli: lead singer of the American doom metal band Pentagram.
- Peter Stengel: German writer and director of television and film best known for the series Mama und Papa (1938).
- Danny Stengeli: American musician, composer, producer, and actor best known as the founder and leader of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion band Stengel Bros.
- Frank Stengel: German film and television actor best known for his role in the action-adventure film Night Flight (2008).
- Nancy Stengel: Canadian artist and sculptor known for her public monuments, murals, and large scale installations.
- Edith Stengel: Austrian photographer known for her portraits of famous people, especially actresses.