Surname Styrnal - Meaning and Origin
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Styrnal: What does the surname Styrnal mean?
The last name Styrnal originated in Sweden and is most commonly found in areas with historically large Swedish populations. The name is derived from the old Swedish word styra, meaning ‘to steer’ or ‘to guide’. It is therefore believed to have been an occupational name for someone who was a ship captain or a leader with guiding responsibilites. The name was adopted by Scandinavian settlers in the United States and Canada during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The Styrnal family trace their ancestry back to Peter Styrnal (also spelled Styrnell, Styrnold), who is thought to have emigrated from Sweden in 1881 and settled in Portage des Sioux, Missouri. Descendants of this family are now located in Canada, as far south as Arizona and California in the US, and other states in between.
Styrnal is an alternative spelling of a surname that appears in Swedish dictionaries as Styrnell and Styrnold. Today, Styrnals are believed to primarily be found in areas with large Swedish populations in the Upper Midwest of the United States. The Styrnal name has become so interwoven into the fabric of these communities that one has to look no further than local restaurants, attend a sporting event, or read the obituaries to see the Styrnal name in print.
Order DNA origin analysisStyrnal: Where does the name Styrnal come from?
The surname Styrnal is most commonly found in the modern day in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia. The U.S. recorded over 1,100 people with this surname in the 2000 Census.
In the U.S., Styrnal is most commonly found in the state of Minnesota, where over 1,000 people with this surname lived in 2000. Closely following the concentration in Minnesota were Ohio and New York, where a few hundred people each with the surname Styrnal lived.
In Great Britain, Styrnal is most prevalent in the southwest region of England, particularly in the Cornish region. This region is home to approximately 150 people with the surname, ranking higher than any other location in the United Kingdom.
Australian records show over 30 people with the surname Styrnal in the country as of 2017.
The Styrnal surname has been consistently documented in scattered locations since the mid-1700s, though records existed as early as the 15th century. Before collocating in the U.S., families with the Styrnal surname mainly lived in England, where they mostly stayed until the mid-19th century.
Given the current distribution of the surname, its origin is likely English. As the surname has mainly stayed close to England, researchers often conjecture that its original root is in Cornwall, a county in southern England.
Variations of the surname Styrnal
Styrnal is a surname of Polish origin stemming from the Polish name "Sternal", meaning 'from the star'. The alternate spellings, variants, and surnames of Styrnal have been derived from various languages and dialects over a long period of time.
The most common variant of the Polish Styrnal surname is the German spelling "Sternell". This surname can be seen all around the world, from locations as far as India, Scotland, and even the United States, with possible surname spellings including Sternall, Sternelle, and Sternel.
In addition to the German spelling, other spellings include Styrna, a Czech variant, Styrnał, a Polish variant, and Styrnal, a restored ancient Slavic form.
In Midwestern United States, Styrnal is likely a rare form of the surname Strawel, which is derived from a common Czech-Polish word "strawa", meaning "straw". Other form of Strawel include Stral, Strol, Strul, and Straal.
Styrnal is also sometimes found in other areas as a form of the German surname Sternle, meaning 'maple star', or the English surname Starling. In Germany, there is the variant Sternleb, which is a diminutive of Stern, the German word for 'star'.
In Russia, there is the variant Styrnalov, a patronymic name created from the personal name Styrnal. The associated Russian version of the German Sternleb, is Strinlelb.
The Japanese version of Styrnal, isステルナル (Suterunaru) and the Chinese version is 施特尔纳尔 (Shitè'èrnà'ěr).
Famous people with the name Styrnal
- Conrad Styrnal: German TV presenter and producer.
- Sigrid Styrnal: Austrian ballerina and former principal dancer at the Vienna State Opera.
- Kelly Styrnal: American reality television star, best known for her roles on the Real Housewives of Dallas and Southern Charm.
- Dominic Styrnal: Swiss-born film director and screenwriter.
- Philip Styrnal: American actor and director who is best known for his roles in the films Step Up, She's Out of My League, and 13 Hours.
- Ingrid Styrnal: German actress and singer, best known for her roles in films such as Lena Love and Kaminfeuer.
- Peter Styrnal: Austrian composer.
- Philipp Styrnal: German voice actor, best known for his roles in the animated series Yu-Gi-Oh!, Naruto, and One Piece.
- Kirsten Styrnal: Danish fashion model and actress.
- Johannes Styrnal: Austrian physicist and inventor, the pioneer of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.