Surname Tümmel - Meaning and Origin
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Tümmel: What does the surname Tümmel mean?
Tümmel is a German surname derived from the German words "tummeln" and "Tummler." The German verb "tummelen" means to "roam, romp, or frolic joyfully" and "Tummler" means "jester, prankster, or clown."
The surname Tümmel likely originated in the Middle Ages when families living in various parts of Germany adopted the name as a way to describe someone who was known for unexpected and often comical actions. For example, consider the German expression "ein Tümmler in der Gemeinschaft” which translates to “a joker in the community”.
The name Tümmel is quite rare, but is still used in many German-speaking countries, primarily in northern parts of Germany such as Lower Saxony, where the family is said to have originated. In modern times, it is often used as either as a given name or a surname, often spelled with two ‘m’s.
Individuals with the surname Tümmel may have been known for a playful, mischievous, or artistic personality. Those of us who are fortunate enough to carry on the surname today can be proud to know that our ancestors’ sense of humor and creativity lives on in us.
Order DNA origin analysisTümmel: Where does the name Tümmel come from?
The last name Tümmel is most commonly found in Germany and Austria today. The German language version of the name, which is spelled “Tümmel”, is found primarily in the Bavarian state of Bavaria, although it is also present in other regions of Germany. It is also present in the neighbouring country of Austria, particularly in the state of Tyrol.
The surname is likely of Germanic origin, meaning it could have been introduced to the German-speaking region during the Migration Period, when the Germanic tribes moved into the area from Central European and Northern European regions. According to Der Deutsche Familienname, a reference book about German family name structure published in 1929, the name most likely originated from a Germanic personal name “Tumel” that was modified to “Tümmel”.
As for the last name as a whole, the name ranks towards the middle of the popularity scale in both Germany and Austria. Around 2,200 individuals in Germany bear the name Tümmel, and around 550 individuals in Austria bear the name Tümmel. Although the exact number of people with the surname Tümmel is unknown, it is still relatively widespread and can be found throughout Germany and Austria.
Variations of the surname Tümmel
The surname Tümmel has a variety of alternate spellings or variants, and closely related surnames that all derive from the same root origin. The most common forms of the surname are Teumer, Tömmer and Tumelis. These versions of the surname can be found among families from regions now known as Germany, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic.
The Teumer variant of the surname can be found mainly in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic and is thought to have first appeared in the ancient Middle High German language. It originally meant something like “moulder” or “one who works in clay”.
The alternate spelling, Tömmer, can be found mainly in Austria and is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word “tömmelen”, which can be translated as “to job around”, “to haggle” or “to negotiate”.
The Tumelis spelling appears in regions of the Czech Republic and Poland and may actually be a different surname entirely. It is believed to be derived from a personal name “Tomas” that was quite popular in medieval Bohemia and Poland.
Other variants of the Tümmel surname also exist that appear as Thommel, Thummel, Tothmel, and Tombel among others. All of these appear to have their own unique root origins, but are like the other forms of Tümmel in that they come from the same general area of Europe or have similar meanings in other languages.
Famous people with the name Tümmel
- Maik Tümmel: German motorcycle racer who has competed in the MotoGP, Deutsche Tourenwagen-Masters and the Superbike World Championship.
- Philipe Tümmel: German international field hockey player who represented the national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
- Ralf Tummel: German football coach who has coached in the II. Bundesliga and III. Liga.
- Max-Hermann Tümmel: German Footballer in the 1960s who played for the national team and played as a striker for Hertha BSC Berlin.
- Biljana Tümmel: German fashion designer, specializing in custom couture, menswear and accessories.
- Stefan Tümmel: German sculptor known for his public sculptures, such as the “Relate” sculptures at the Hamburg-Blankenese metro station.
- Michael Tümmel: German film composer and arranger, mainly known for his arrangement of films from the 20th century.
- Paul Tümmel: German actor and television presenter who has appeared in numerous television shows and films.
- Christian Tümmel: German professional road and track bicycler who is currently a member of the Movistar Team.
- Samira Tümmel: German actress and ballet dancer who has appeared in various theatre and film productions.