Surname Wedel - Meaning and Origin
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F. Wedel
read moreWedel: What does the surname Wedel mean?
The surname Wedel is of German origin and traces its roots back to Medieval times. It is derived from the Middle High German word "wedel", meaning a "fan" or "winnowing basket", which was used in the process of separating grain from chaff. It is considered an occupational surname, indicating that its original bearers likely had professions related to agriculture, like farming or milling. They would be employed in the use or manufacture of a "wedel", hence giving them their surname. It may have also been used to signify someone who lived near the sign of the fan or winnowing basket, used as an inn or tavern sign. Like many surnames, several alternate spellings exist today, including Wedell, Wiedel, and Vedel, among others. Some famous bearers of the name Wedel include German director Dieter Wedel and Danish footballer Søren Wedel.
Order DNA origin analysisWedel: Where does the name Wedel come from?
The surname Wedel is a German topographic name derived from the Middle High German word 'Widel' meaning ‘meadow’ or ‘grassland’. It is commonly found in northern Germany, specifically around the states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. The earliest recorded instance of the name comes from the 13th century and is found in Erbacher, Germany. However, by the 16th century the name had spread to other parts of the German-speaking world.
Today, the surname Wedel is quite common throughout Germany, but has spread to other countries as well. It is especially popular in other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is also common among German immigrants to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as to other parts of Europe such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Russia and Poland.
In the United States, people with the surname Wedel can be found in all fifty states, though the highest concentration is in the Midwest and the Great Lakes states such as Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In Canada, the Wedel name can be found in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
So, while the surname Wedel is very much a part of the German cultural landscape, it has since spread to many other countries around the world and has been adopted by a wide range of people with diverse backgrounds.
Variations of the surname Wedel
Wedel is a surname with German origin. It derived from the German word ‘wedeln’, which means wagging or waving, and is found most commonly in the German-speaking countries. The surname is sometimes seen being spelled as Waedel, Wadel, Wadell, Vadil, Vadel, Vadelle, and Vadell.
Wedel is derived from the placename ‘Wedeln’, a location in the south of Germany on the border with Austria. It is believed that the earliest usage of this surname dates back to the 15th century, when hereditary surnames were becoming more commonplace, although some records show that it may have been found as early as the 11th century.
Variants of the Wedel surname can be found in both Germany and the United States. In Germany, many variants of the Wedel name are found, notable among them including Wegle, Wechel, Vebel, Wiedel, Wiedle, Widel, Widl, Weegele, and Weegel. In the United States, some of the most common spellings of the Wedel name include Wadell, Weddell, Waddell, Vadil, Vadell, and Vadele.
The Wedel surname is linked to many noble families in Germany. In the 12th century, the Wedels of Holstein and the Wedels of Mecklenburg were prominent in the political and royal circles. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Wedels and Waegel families served as administrators and advisers to the kings of northern Germany.
Today, the Wedel surname exists in many different countries around the world. In the United States alone, the Wedel surname is thought to be held by at least 32,000 people, with many bearing the surname choosing to anglicize the spelling of their last name to variations such as Wadley, Wadell, and Waddel.
Famous people with the name Wedel
- Shannen Wedel: Australian actress and writer best known for her roles in Home and Away and The Wrong Girl
- Everett Wedel: American singer-songwriter and lead singer of the popular alt-country/Americana band the High Plains Drifters
- Janel Lynn Wedel: American biographer and journalist. Author of the award-winning books Globalization and its Discontents: The Rise and Fall of the Worldush Empire (2018) and Caliban’s War: The US War on Terror and Its Legacy (2012).
- Penelope Wedel: American sculptor and installation artist whose work has been featured in art galleries and museums throughout the USA and Europe
- Frank Wedel: German lawyer and politician, member of the Social Democratic Union (SED) and former minister for justice of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1954 to 1961
- Katie Wedel: American country singer and songwriter, best known for hits such as “I Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “Lost in the White Noise”
- Jessica Wedel: German actress best known for her roles in Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten and Der letzte Bulle
- Claudia Wedel: German television presenter and human rights activist
- Volker Wedel: German film and television director and producer, best known for his work on Sturm der Liebe and Alles was zählt
- Sylvia Wedel: German alpine skier who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics and has won several medals in World Cup events