Surname Wözel - Meaning and Origin
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Wözel: What does the surname Wözel mean?
The last name Wözel is a German surname that has a variety of spellings, such as Woelzel, Woelzle, and Wölzle. The name likely has an origin of being the “son of ‘Wölz’ or ‘Wölzle’, the latter of which is the diminutive form of the word ‘Wölz’. The word Wölz is likely derived from the old High German word "wulliz" which translates to “woolly” or “fuzzy”. This could point to the occupation of an ancestor of the family line that was involved in the wool industry.
People with the last name Wözel usually were found in the south German states of Bavaria, or West Prussia, and in the border regions between say Poland and Germany. While the name’s origin is pretty much unknown, those who can trace their ancestry back to it typically can point to being from Germany or some of its bordering countries.
At the end of the 19th century, the surname Wözel started to be seen as a popular last name. In modern times, people with this last name can be found in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the United States, Brazil, and in many other countries around the world.
The surname Wözel is an interesting piece of history that can fascinate anyone looking back to trace their ancestry. Its origin is somewhat a mystery, but the evidence that exists around it is enough to uncover some interesting facts about the family whose last name is Wözel.
Order DNA origin analysisWözel: Where does the name Wözel come from?
The last name Wözel (commonly spelled Woelzel) today is most commonly found in Germany and in countries of German origin or influence. This can include countries in central Europe such as Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, as well as countries on the outskirts such as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. It is also found in many countries outside of Europe, particularly the Americas and parts of Oceania, as German migrants around the world have taken their surnames with them.
The etymology of the name is from the German wölzeln, which means “to dig”, which is why the coat of arms for those with the surname includes a miner’s shovel.
In Germany, the surname is most common in the eastern and southeastern regions of the country, particularly in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. This is likely due to the regions strong mining and farming background, and the prevalence of German migrants in the area. It is also relatively common in the low mountain ranges and low hills of the Bavarian region.
The surname Wözel is also commonly found around the world under various spelling variations such as Woelzel, Woelzle, Woelzlein, and other countries have adopted their own versions of the name such as Volzel in Slovakia.
In terms of numbers of people with the name, Woelzel is the 79, Twist the 5,823rd most common surname in the world, Woelzlein the 18,851st and Woelzle the 54,479th.
Variations of the surname Wözel
The surname Wözel has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is Wözel, which appears in documents as far back as 14th century German records. This is the most common spelling of the name.
Variants of the name Wözel include Wözle, Woelzel, Wozel, and Wozzel. Other German versions of the name include Wözler, Woesel, Woesele, Wößel, Wößler, Woezel, Wozeler, and Wozzell.
In Austria, the name has been recorded as Wözl, Wözle, and Wözlle, as well as Welzl and Vözle.
The Russian version of the name is Vözlev, and other Slavic variants include Wozył, Vozil, and Woźnicki.
In Sweden, the surname is spelled Vözel, and there are other Scandinavian variants such as Voze, Voosell, Voosel, Fossel, and Foszle.
The Finnish version of the surname is Vözelä.
In the United States and other English-speaking countries, the name is often spelled Wozelle, Wozel, Wozzel, and Wozell.
Due to the many variations of the surname, many people with the surname Wözel could be found under different spellings or surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Wözel
- Heinz Wözel, German actor
- Peter Wözel, Austrian conductor
- Lothar Wölz, German philosopher
- Steve Woźniak, Polish-American computer programmer, co-founder of Apple
- Wilhelm Wölfflin, Swiss art historian
- Jürgen Wölffling, German entrepreneur
- Eva Wölk, German astrophysicist
- Kai Wölky, German filmmaker
- Hans-Udo Wölz, German cyclist
- Theodor Wölfle, German historical painter
- Christian Wölske, German journalist
- Anton Wöllenstein, Austrian composer
- Gerhard Wölken, German surgeon
- Johannes Wöller, German theologian
- Jakob Wöllstein, German classical philologist
- Jürgen Wölcken, German lawyer
- Michael Wölker, German engineer
- Karl Wölfle, Austrian sculptor
- Frank Wölzen, German physicist
- Wilhelm Wölffer, German jurist