Surname Dunikel - Meaning and Origin

Dunikel: What does the surname Dunikel mean?

The surname Dunikel is of English origin, and is thought to derive from the old English words dune and hyll. This suggests that it was originally a geographical surname; those bearing it were likely to have originated from a place created from hill land surrounded by sand dunes. Dunikel could also have originated as a nickname for someone who lived in a valley where the land rose both steeply and sharply on both sides.

During the Middle Ages, the use of surnames became more widespread in England. It is thought that many of those people who were given the name Dunikel gained it due to the geographical features located near their homes.

Since then, the surname has developed over time. It is commonly spelled Dunickel, however other variations include Dunickl, Dunicel, Dunikle, and even Duneckel.

It is currently thought to be somewhat rare, as records of those bearing the name are few. However, it is not considered to be extinct, and continues to exist across many countries, including the United States and Canada.

The name Dunikel continues to carry with it a sense of history and the dramatic landscape of its origins. Those bearing the name likely have ancestral ties to hilly areas, a distinct, historical feature of many regions.

Dunikel: Where does the name Dunikel come from?

The last name Dunikel is most commonly found in the Baltic region today. The Dunikel surname is of Estonian origin and is associated with the region in Northern Europe that includes Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

In Estonia, the last name Dunikel is quite common and the region is known to be the most populous of the Baltic states. It is believed that the Dunikel name originated from the Estonian root word "Dunikee" which means "responsive." The name is believed to have been adopted by a family who were of Baltic origin during the 19th century.

In 2002, the census reported that there were about 900 people in Estonia with the Dunikel last name. There were also a few people with the same last name in other parts of Eastern Europe such as Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, and Sweden.

The name Dunikel is still quite common in its homeland of Estonia and the Baltic Region today. It is believed that if a person wanted to find a Dunikel today; they should look in Estonia and the surrounding countries. There are likely to be other individuals with the Dunikel name scattered across the world due to migration and the impact of globalization.

Variations of the surname Dunikel

The surname Dunikel is also spelled as Denikel, Donekel, Dunichal, Duenikel, and Dünicle. This surname is of German origin and may also be found as a variant of the name Duneckel.

The surname Denikel is derived from the Old German given name Dilikel, a variant of Dilic, which is a compound given name made up of the elements di or die ("people" or "tribe") and li or liz ("power, influence, rule"). Alternatively, the name could have originated from a nickname derived from the Old High German dunni meaning "black". People with the surname Denikel or its variants may have also had their surname changed from Dilic or Dillic due to phonetic changes that took place in German pronunciation.

The surname Dunichal is derived from the German given name Duneckel, which is a diminutive of either the given names Duno or Dunc. The element duno found in the Old German given name Duno is thought to mean "world" or "people" and is derived from the Proto-Germanic word dunom meaning "world". The Slavic element dunc derived from the Germanic word dunc meaning "protector”.

The surname Duenikel is another variant of the name Denikel. Similarly, the surname Dünicle is derived from the Germanic given name Duneckel, which is also seen in the variant Duenikel.

Thus, the surname Dunikel has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Dunikel

• Sid Dunkel: American author, actor, filmmaker, and playwright.
• Lynn Dunkel: Co-founder and general counsel of United States Patent and Trademark Office-registered company, the FADER.
• Doug Dunkel: Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and Mixed Martial Arts trainer.
• Eric Dunkel: Award-winning composer, pianist, and arranger.
• Jeffrey Dunkel: President and CEO of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB).
• Mike Dunkel: Professional football coach.
• Steven Dunkel: Top executive at Groupon, an e-commerce marketplace.
• Stephen Dunkel: American actor, producer, director, and writer.
• Stephanie Dunkell: Principal Dancer with the Miami City Ballet.
• Alan Dunkel: Award-winning author and screenwriter.

Other surnames

Dunikowski