Surname Woezel - Meaning and Origin
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Woezel: What does the surname Woezel mean?
The last name Woezel is a Dutch surname that originated from the Middle Dutch phrase “wözel” meaning “merchant” or “trader”. It likely refers to a type of occupation common in the Netherlands centuries ago. Woezel is most commonly found in Dutch speaking countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, and parts of South Africa. It is also found in other European locations like France, Germany, and Switzerland.
People with the surname Woezel are believed to be of Dutch/Flemish descent. The name can also be found in other nations because of Dutch immigrants who settled elsewhere. Aside from its meaning, the surname Woezel may have alternative spelling combinations and variations including “Woelzel,” “Woözel,” and “Woelzlein”.
The meaning of “merchant” or “trader” behind the name has a rich history in the Netherlands. During the 16th-17th century, merchants formed a relatively powerful economic group that could control certain aspects of the economy. In the Beginning of the 20th century, many of the large merchant families in the Netherlands had a surname with roots in the Woezel surname.
The name Woezel is also found in satiric Dutch poems and literature. This suggests that the surname was quite common at the time. There is also a children’s show named “Woezel and Pip”, a popular entertainment program featuring two lovable puppies.
In short, the name Woezel is an ancient Dutch name that had its origins in the Middle Ages. It refers to a merchant, trader or someone who was involved in trade and commerce. In modern times, it is a popular Dutch surname with many variations and spellings, and is also popular throughout Europe and South Africa.
Order DNA origin analysisWoezel: Where does the name Woezel come from?
The surname Woezel is most commonly seen today in the Netherlands. It originates from a Dutch occupational name, derived from the Dutch word "woezel", meaning a merchant or peddler. The prefix “-ing” and the ending “-s” were added later to create “Woezing” and “Woezens”, and the spelling varied over time, leading to the modern surname Woezel.
In the Netherlands, this surname is fairly uncommon, with only approximately 890 Dutch citizens bearing the name in 2019. It is mainly concentrated in the northern and western provinces of Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, and Utrecht.
Because of the Netherlands’ historical connections to other countries, this surname is rarely found outside of the Lowlands. An example is a small Dutch diaspora in southern Germany, where this surname is especially common in the city of Dornspijk.
The surname Woezel is also found in the diaspora of Dutch immigrants who left the Netherlands in the 19th and 20th centuries. Dutch people settled in both distant and nearby countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the British Isles. Dutch surnames that were seen in the Netherlands at the time may appear with slight variations in other countries.
In some cases, the surname Woezel can be found in the English-speaking countries of Canada, Australia, and the United States. For example, the 2000 US Census reported eleven people surnamed Woezel in the United States over the age of eighteen.
In conclusion, the surname Woezel is mainly seen today in the Netherlands and its diaspora, with some limited occurrences in other countries such as Germany, the US, Canada, Australia, and the British Isles.
Variations of the surname Woezel
The surname Woezel is derived from a Dutch toponymic name. It could refer to someone who came from either the township of Woezel or the village of Woezle in central Netherlands. The various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Woezel include Woelzel, Woellzle, Woezel, Wölzel, Wöllzel, Oelzel, Weelzel, Woulzel and Woelzel.
The surname Woezel is most commonly seen in the United States and Germany. In the United States, it is primarily found in Pennsylvania and Ohio. There are also some families with the surname Woezel in Canada, especially in Ontario. In Germany, the surname Woezel is most commonly seen in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg.
Other variants of the surname include Wohlzel, Wöllzle, Woelzel and Woellzle. Common spellings of the surname include Woezel and Wölzel. Some variants begin with the letter “O”, such as Oelzel and Oelzle.
The surname is also found in Austria, where it is spelled Wohlzel, and in Italy, where it is spelled Wöllzle. In Switzerland, the surname Woezel is also seen, in certain regions.
In the Netherlands, the surname Woezel is rarely seen, but it can be found in some areas. In particular, it is seen in the Friesland province. There, it may be spelled Woezel or Wölzel.
In some cases, variations of the name Woezel can refer to the name Wojciech, which is derived from the Germanic element “wald”, meaning “forest”. This explains why there are some variants of the surname that begin with the letter “W”.
No matter where they may be, those who bear the surname Woezel are part of a single global family, whose origins are rooted in central Europe.
Famous people with the name Woezel
- Ernest Woezel: author, historian, professor emeritus at the University of California Los Angeles.
- Karen Woezel: American actress, screenwriter, director, and producer.
- Bob Woezel: Australian actor, magician, and ventriloquist.
- Paul Woezel: German actor, director, and musician.
- Ludwig Woezel: German physicist and philosopher.
- Josef Woezel: German printmaker and painter.
- Florian Woezel: German documentary filmmaker.
- Jessica Woezel: American singer, songwriter and musician.
- Stefan Woezel: German film composer, arranger, producer, and remixer.
- Gustav Woezel: Austrian conductor, pianist, and composer active in both classical and popular music.