Surname Wägele - Meaning and Origin
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Wägele: What does the surname Wägele mean?
The last name Wägele is a German surname, originating in Bavaria. The meaning of the name is thought to be derived from the Old German word “wahge” meaning “balance” or “scales”, in reference to a profession such as a merchant or money changer. This is perhaps due to the fact that the Bavarian merchants of the Middle Ages often used a type of scale-like device to determine the value of currency.
The surname is also thought to have geographical roots, with Germans historically originating from a region of Sackenheim or according to records, settling in Bvangenstadt, near the Allgäu area of southwestern Bavaria, now known as Germany.
The Wägele surname is found throughout Germany and Switzerland. As a result of German emigration, it is also frequently found in many other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
It is also possible that members of the Wägele family may have been amongst the members of the Free City of Lübeck that were granted citizenship in the Austrian Empire. Since Austrian citizenship was granted to “people of the Germanic tongue” between the mid 18th and 19th centuries, it is likely that members of the Wägele family were amongst those persons.
Despite its origins, the surname Wägele is commonly associated with a strong sense of pride and determination that is very evident amongst both past and present members of the family. As a result of the surname’s international spread, a few of its associated family members have even made their mark in the world of science, sport and politics.
Order DNA origin analysisWägele: Where does the name Wägele come from?
The last name Wägele is most commonly found today in parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle High German word “waegele”, which means “waggoner” or “cart driver”, and these areas were likely locations for large-scale travel and trade.
In Germany, the Wägele family name is recorded in many regions, particularly in the Baden-Württemberg and Bavarian regions, but also in other regions such as Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Schleswig-Holstein. In Austria, the name is recorded mainly in the regions of Bohemia, Styria, and Carinthia, while further north the name is found mainly in Bavaria and Thuringia.
The name is also found in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, and is part of the large German-speaking population there.
Due to the German language influence in these areas, as well as the historical relationships between Europe and the United States, it is possible that some people with the Wägele name have emigrated to different parts of the world. It is also possible that the name has been stretched across multiple spellings, with various spellings of the name found in records, including Wegele, Wigle, Vägele, and Waegle.
As a result, the last name Wägele is widely spread throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with significant pockets of people carrying this surname in many other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Wägele
The surname Wägele has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of this surname include Waagele, Waegle, Waegeli, Weagele, Weagel, Wägele, Wägle, and Wägeli. Most of these variants are derived from the German language, the primary language of the surname's origin.
The variants of Wägele also appear in other languages, such as French, which include Vaguele, Vagele, Vaegele, Vaegeli, and Vaigle. Other languages with variants of this surname include Hungarian, which has variants such as Vägely, Vagyeli, Vaygely, Vaygeli, and Voguely. The variants in Italian include Vaggele, Vagagli, Vagale, Vagelli, and Vaiglle.
Lastly, the variants of Wägele in English include Weagel, Waegele, Waegeli, Wagele, Weagel, and Weagley.
The surname Wägele has several different surnames of the same origin. These include Wägely, Weagly, Wagle, Wagley, Wagli, Waggle, and Warley. Each of these are derived from the original Wägele surname.
In addition, Wägele is a common surname in many countries due to migration and immigration. Therefore, some of the surnames with the same origin are found in other countries as well, such as Waagli in Switzerland, Waegeli in Austria, and Vuagile in France.
Overall, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Wägele are numerous and diverse due to its origin and international presence.
Famous people with the name Wägele
- Jörg Wägele: He is a German biologist and expert on evolutionary systematics and insect biodiversity.
- Johann Wägele: He was a German classical philologist who worked at the universities of Würzburg and Bonn.
- Dominik Wägele: He is a German classical philologist and professor at the University of Tübingen.
- Joachim Wägele: He is a German paleontologist and professor of Zoology at the University of Hamburg.
- Marie Luise Wägele: She is an Austrian composer and performer of new music.
- Lukas Wägele: He is a retired Austrian professional footballer and currently a football manager.
- Rainer Wägele: He is a German biologist and research director at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Science.
- Maria Wägele: She is a German journalist and television presenter.
- Carolin Wägele: She is a German biochemist and professor at the University of Hohenheim.
- Helmuth Wägele: He is an Austrian geologist, mineralogist, and professor at the University of Vienna.