Surname Wägel - Meaning and Origin
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Wägel: What does the surname Wägel mean?
The last name Wägel is of German origin and it is derived from the word “waage” which means “weigh” or “balance”. Over the centuries, the spelling of the name varied among different regions. It is recorded using the spellings Wägel, Waegel, Waigel, Wügel, Weigel, and Wiegel.
The original bearer of the name may have been a person who worked as a ‘waage’, or a balance, for weighing goods in the middle-ages. Alternatively, they may have been a maker of scales or balances, which would have been a prominent and sought-after profession at the time.
The surname Wägel could also be an occupational last name for someone involved in river transport. The word “waage” could derive from “wiege,” meaning “ferry,” and may have originally referred to people who operated ferries along rivers.
Today, there are many members of the Wägel family scattered around the world, from Germany to the United States to Australia, to name just a few. Although the name appears to have been in use for centuries, its exact origin and meaning are still open to debate.
Order DNA origin analysisWägel: Where does the name Wägel come from?
The last name Wägel is common today in several countries around the world, mostly in regions where German, Swiss, Dutch, and Scandinavian immigrants settled in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In Germany, Wägel is quite common today, particularly in the southern regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, locations that witnessed significant south-north migration by the end of the 19th century.
In an international context, the last name Wägel is also quite common in the United States, with more than 1,900 US citizens recorded in the last census data. The name is particularly prevalent in Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and New York.
The Netherlands is another region where the last name Wägel is quite popular, possibly as many Wägels in this area originate from Germany.
Switzerland also has many Wägels in its population today, with most of them residing in the cantons of Zurich, Basel, and Thurgau.
Generally, the last name Wägel in most countries is believed to have evolved from the German word ‘Wagel’ (avian), which could be a reference to a bird professional (a falconer, for instance) or just as a surname reflecting on somebody’s physical characteristics.
Regardless of its origin, what is certain is that Wägels from Germany have spread all around the world, migrating in search of better opportunities and taking their last name with them.
Variations of the surname Wägel
The surname Wägel is of German origin. It can also be spelled as Waegel, Waegele, Waegell, Waegler, and Waegeler. The surname may also take various forms depending on regional dialects and geographic areas. For example, in some areas the surname Wägel may be rendered as Waeggel, Wäggele, Wagel, Weggel, or Weggele.
Variations of the Wägel surname are also commonly seen with Y and I added to it, creating surnames such as Waygel, Weygel, Wiygel, Wygel, Wiygle, and Wygele. In some cases, the surname Wägel is also found under spellings such as Wegl, Wiegle, Wiegel, Wiegal, and Weigle. There are some peculiar spellings of the surname as well, such as Wögl, Wögle, and Waigl. Additionally, the surname is sometimes seen with an added surname, such as Wägel-Reif, Wägel-Schneider, Wägel-Staudinger, and Wägel-Koch.
Moreover, Wägel may be found as an Anglicised surname under the forms of Wiggle, Weigel, Wigle, and Wiegl. In German, Wägel is found as a given name as well, being the German form of the name ‘Vagel’ from Greek mythology. This has led to some surnames having the same origin as Wägel, such as Wuxler and Vixler.
In conclusion, the surname Wägel has multiple, regionalised variants and spellings with some relation to the surname Wägel, such as Waeggel, Wäggele, Wagel, Waigl, and Wuxler. It is sometimes seen as a given name as well, leading to similar surnames such as Vixler and Weigel.
Famous people with the name Wägel
1.Laura Wägel: German actress best known for her Charité and Unorthodox roles. 2.Berthold Wägel: German architect and design professor. 3.Hans-Joachim Wägel: German soldier and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 4.John Wägel: German racing cyclist and Olympic rower. 5.Karl Wägel: German paleontologist known for his studies of fossil plants. 6.Joachim Wägel: German film producer, director, and actor. 7.Günter Wägel: German stage and film actor. 8.Annemarie Wägel: German actress, mostly known for her roles on TV series such as Tatort and Lindenstraße. 9.Albert Wägel: German Greco-Roman wrestler and two-time Olympic gold medalist. 10.Armin Wägel: German Romani poet and author. 11.Karl Wägel: German Air Force officer and World War II fighter ace credited with 162 aerial victories. 12.Franz Wägel: Czech-German aeronautical engineer who worked on the Reichenberg IV, a successful 1930s German sailplane. 13.Otto Wägel: German U-boat commander during World War II who was credited with sinking 12 ships. 14.Jens Wägel: Norwegian ice hockey player who represented the Norway national ice hockey team at the 2014 Winter Olympics. 15.Georg Wägel: Austrian conductor who was the first music director of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. 16.Walter Wägel: Austrian physician and antifascist campaigner who was named Righteous among the Nations for his assistance to Jews during the Holocaust