Surname Abelung - Meaning and Origin
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Abelung: What does the surname Abelung mean?
The origin of the surname Abelung has been derived from the German language and can be traced back to the medieval ages, when it was used as a hereditary nickname for an ancestor with a particular character trait or physical attribute.
The surname Abelung is derived from the German first name Abel, which in turn originated from the Hebrew word ‘Hevel’, whose literal meaning is ‘breath’, implying the fragility and temporary nature of life. This concept of a short-lived existence was stoked further when the story of Cain and Abel was introduced into Christianity, with Abel receiving notoriety as the first Biblical human to die.
In German, the word ‘ung’ signifies ‘son of’ and so the surname Abelung may be translated to mean ‘son of Abel’, signifying the descendants of this Biblical character.
Throughout the centuries, the descendants of the original Abel have come to use this surname as both a mark of identity and family connection, and as a patriarchal sign of lineage. These days, the surname Abelung is found to be most common in Germany and surrounding countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Given Abel’s Biblical notoriety, many of those who now carry the surname also carry a sense of pride and history. As such, anyone with the surname Abelung can take confidence in knowing that it holds a unique cultural significance going back many centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisAbelung: Where does the name Abelung come from?
The surname Abelung is most commonly found today in Germany and the Low Countries. Records show that the name was borne by German people as early as 1220 and that it became particularly popular in Brandenburg and Pomerania in the fifteenth century. It may have arisen as a nickname connected to an ‘Abel’ ancestor, although it could also have evolved from ‘Abeling’ or ‘Ablehnung’, meaning ‘to repel’ or ‘keep away’.
Today, the name is found mostly in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the former East Germany. However, it is quite uncommon and is becoming ever more so. According to a survey conducted by the Herold Institute in Vienna, in 2017 the Abelung name was found in only 9 of Germany’s Federal States and was most frequently encountered in the free City of Bremen. It was not recorded in any German state east of the Elbe River.
In the Netherlands, where the Abelung surname is also common, the name is found mostly in the provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland. Here again, the name is gradually decreasing in use.
The name is also found in the United States, Canada, and Australia; predominantly amongst the descendants of German-speaking immigrants of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Variations of the surname Abelung
The Abelung surname originated from Germany and is derived from the personal name Abel. The surname has undergone several spellings and variants since its first appearance in the early Middle Ages. The common variants and spellings of the surname Abelung are Abeling, Ebeling, Apeling, Apelung, Apolung, Apollona, Ebeling and Epeling.
The surname Abelung is mostly associated with Germany and the Netherlands. Some recorded variants of this surname could be found throughout the United States, Italy, and some parts of France and Scandinavia.
The surname Abelung is also occasionally used interchangeably with the surnames Apolena and Apolney, although they all have distinct origins. The Apolena surname originated from Spain and the Apolney surname originated from England.
Other surnames derived from Abel and sharing the same to some extent origin include Abell, Abellon, Abon, Avellon, Ebel, Ebels, Eloon, Evelon, Avellen, Appelin, Appelen, Opellen and Appelmans.
In some cases of the surname Abelung, individuals bearing the same could be related. The Abelung surname is mostly transmitted via patrilineal inheritance, which means that the surname is passed on from father to son.
It is a popular surname in the Middle East and the United States, although it is more common in Germany and the Netherlands. Some people bearing this name may also belong to the Jewish faith, although it is not necessarily exclusive to them.
Famous people with the name Abelung
- Alena Abelung, Russian journalist
- Alexander Abelung, German composer
- Annette Abelung, Swedish playwright and director
- Cornelia Abelung, German artist
- Fred Abelung, Danish poet and translator
- Gustav Abelung, Norwegian politician
- Hedda Abelung, Swedish author
- Jakob Abelung, German theologian
- Johann Abelung, German composer and organist
- Julie Abelung, Danish actress
- Mathilde Abelung, German artist
- Paul Abelung, Danish journalist and photographer
- Rebecca Abelung, German actress
- Rudolf Abelung, German painter
- Sally Abelung, Swedish actress
- Siegfried Abelung, German musician
- Sonja Abelung, Danish poet
- Theodor Abelung, German naturalist
- Valeria Abelung, Russian actress
- Walter Abelung, German conductor, composer and musicologist