Surname Würfels - Meaning and Origin
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Würfels: What does the surname Würfels mean?
The surname Würfels is a German name, originating from the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word “wurfel”, meaning "die", a type of dice used during gambling. In the past, it may have been used to describe someone skilled in gambling, or someone who was employed as a dice maker.
The Würfels genealogy is recorded mainly in Bavaria, south-western Germany, and in North America; where the family has been present since the 17th century but likely arrived in the 16th century. The majority of the Würfels family from Germany have derived from the Upper-Franconian original family “von den Würfeln”; Würfels were granted nobility status in 1742 and the name is still carried in the present day.
A notable member of the Würfels family is Bosshard von Würfels, an early 19th Century Swiss composer. He was part of the Stuttgart court chapel, and is said to have composed pieces dedicated to King Friedrich Wilhelm II.
The name Würfels has evolved in various pronounciations - such as: Wuerfel, Wuerfels, Warfel, Werfel, Warfals, Warfels and Würfels. These variations have led to different spelling variations when the family migrated to North America and spread across the United States and Canada.
Today, the spelling variations and slightly different pronunciations of Würfels make it an interesting surname to research and trace. Although it originated from the Middle Ages, it is still found in present day Germany, North America and other regions.
Order DNA origin analysisWürfels: Where does the name Würfels come from?
The last name Würfels (sometimes spelled Woerfels or Wörfels) is a German surname derived from a noun meaning "dice." The name is most commonly found in modern day Germany and neighboring European countries, including Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. There is also a small, but growing, population of Würfels living in the United States.
In Germany, most people with the surname Wurfels can be found in the western, central, and southern regions of the country. The states of Hessen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Thuringia have the highest number of people with this last name. In North America, most of the individuals with the Würfels family name live in the United States.
Over the centuries, the surname Würfels would have been adopted to other languages. For example, in Germany they might be known as Woerfel, Wörfel, Wurfel, or and similar variants. In the United States the surname Würfels might be converted to Wurfel, Worfel, Woerfel, Wuerfel, or Wurfle.
Today, the Würfels family is proud of its German heritage and many of them actively search for information about their ancestry. They might explore family tree services, join German associations, or go on genealogical trips to Germany to uncover more about their ancestors.
Variations of the surname Würfels
The surname Würfels has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Wuefels, Wueffels, Wüfels, Wüffels, Wurffels, Warffels, Wurfels, Worerfels, Wuererfels, Würrerfels, and Wuererfeles.
The surname Würfels is derived from the Low German and German word “Würfeln” meaning “to throw dice” and “to roll a wheel”. This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been a practitioner of, or in, dice and wheel games. Alternatively, this name could indicate the occupation of a maker or seller of dice and wheels. It is also possible that the name was occupational in nature but derived from another word such as ‘Werfen’ meaning ‘to throw’ or ‘Würflein’ meaning ‘little wheel’.
Many variants of this surname are related to the original form and are derived from dialectal changes, phonetic spelling, or regional differences in dialect and language. For example, Wüfels could be derived from the Low German form of Würfels, or Wuererfels could be the spelling used in Austria or Bavaria.
The earliest known record of the surname is an 11th century record of a man named Warinc Würffel in Nuremberg. Since then, the name has spread as far as the USA, with a number of immigrants bearing the name arriving in the 19th century. Today, the name is still quite common in Germany, as well as in Switzerland, Austria and the US.
Famous people with the name Würfels
- Fabian Würfels: German singer and actor
- Dan Würfel: Former American football player
- Hans Würfel: German physicist
- Dieter Würfel: German artist and sculptor
- Joachim Würfel: German film director
- Wilhelm Würfel: German ice hockey player
- Albrecht Würfel: German composer
- C. J. Würfel: Austrian politician and writer
- Mateo Würfel: German actor and musician
- Friedrich Würfel: German biochemist and botanist