Surname Zäpfel - Meaning and Origin

Zäpfel: What does the surname Zäpfel mean?

The surname Zäpfel is of German origin. It is believed to be derived from the word "zapfen," which has two different meanings in German. One meaning refers to a spigot, tap, or valve, while the other meaning is indicative of a pine cone or a "pinhead" as it is sometimes referred to. As such, the surname could either mean “one who works with valves and taps,” referring to an occupation, or “the son of a pinecone or pinhead," referring to a family lineage. There is also evidence to suggest that the Zäpfel name could have been derived from the Middle German word “zapfen,” meaning “to trip or stumble."

It is not certain which of these two interpretations is correct, but it is clearly a patronymic surname, meaning "son of." The surname is most prevalent in the German-speaking regions of Germany and Luxembourg, and is possibly also connected to families in Austria, France, and Switzerland.

Today, the Zäpfel surname is carried by many families around the world who have ancestral links to Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland. It is primarily associated with those who live in the Rhineland-Palatinate region in Germany, where Zäpfel families were first recorded in the 11th century. The Zäpfel surname is also linked to several well-known figures throughout history, from Germany and other nations.

Overall, the last name Zäpfel has multiple possible interpretations, and its origin is difficult to determine with absolute certainty. However, it is likely derived from the Middle German word "zapfen," which likely referred to either a professional occupation or family lineage. It is a patronymic surname, meaning "son of" in many languages, and is most prevalent in the German-speaking regions of Germany and Luxembourg. Many Zäpfel families today have ancestral links to Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, or France, and to famous historical figures from these countries.

Zäpfel: Where does the name Zäpfel come from?

The last name Zäpfel is most commonly associated with Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the German-speaking countries of Central Europe. As of 2020, Germany has the highest number of people with the surname Zäpfel.

In Germany, most Zäpfel family members are found in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, Hesse, Thuringia, and Brandenburg. The states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria have the greatest concentration of Zäpfel surnames.

Zäpfel is also common in Austria, where the northern parts of Lower Austria, especially Vienna, as well as Tyrol, Carinthia, Salzburg and Styria are the main regions where the surname is found.

Switzerland also has a large concentration of people with the Zäpfel last name, located mainly in the northern cantons of Zurich, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Schaffhausen and St. Gallen, as well as some regions of Valais and Vaud.

Outside of these countries, the Zäpfel last name can also be found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, the United States and other countries with German-speaking populations.

Overall, the Zäpfel surname is most associated with Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, though it is also common with other German-speaking communities around the world.

Variations of the surname Zäpfel

Zäpfel is a German surname of Bavarian origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word 'zapfens' which meant a 'tap' or 'peg'. The earliest known reference to the surname Zäpfel was in 1405 when a 'Wezil ze Zapffen' was recorded in the city of Nürnberg. The variants of the surname Zäpfel are Zapff, Zapf, Zeppf, Zepp, Zepper and Zapp.

In terms of spellings, there are many phonetic variations of the original spelling, with Zapple, Zappel, Zappele, Zappell, Zappelle, Zaupfel and Zaubel being just some of the letters swapped out.

The Italian form of the surname, Zeppelli, is common in the northern part of the country. It is also believed to have evolved from the original German name.The Spanish spelling is Sapelo.The Polish spelling is Zapala.

The surnames Seibold, Seebold and Zedebold are also of the same origin. These were the names of serfs living in East Prussia which was part of Germany until 1945.Apart from these derivatives, the surname is also associated with other regional names such as Zippel, Zipple, Zippelmann or Zippelman in the region of Baden and Württemberg.

All the variants and derivates indicate a common Bavarian/German ancestry for the Zäpfel surname.

Famous people with the name Zäpfel

• Marcus Zäpfel: German diplomat and political strategist
• Miriam Zäpfel: German journalist and political commentator
• August Zäpfel: German character actor and comedian
• Jochen Zäpfel: German actor and comedian
• Betty Zäpfel: Swiss actress
• Ludwig Zäpfel: German classical composer
• Heiko Zäpfel: German football manager
• Robert Zäpfel: German professional ice hockey player
• Isabell Zäpfel: German television presenter and journalist
• Werner Zäpfel: German-Swedish composer and pianist
• Herbert Zäpfel: German architect and designer
• Anna Zäpfel: German musicologist
• Fabian Zäpfel: German music producer and composer
• Frank Zäpfel: German former professional ice hockey player
• Kai Zäpfel: German actor, director and writer
• Harald Zäpfel: German conductor and composer
• Richard Zäpfel: German surgeon and author
• Martha Zäpfel: German painter and sculptor
• Hans Zäpfel: German electrical engineer and inventor
• Emily Zäpfel: German tennis player

Other surnames

Zapfe