Surname Foelkel - Meaning and Origin
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Foelkel: What does the surname Foelkel mean?
The surname Foelkel is of German origin, and is thought to originate from the Bavarian/Austrian area. The name itself is derived from the German word “vogel,” meaning “bird.” It is assumed that the name was used to denote someone who was either an ornithologist, an avid bird-watcher, or simply someone who had characteristics similar to those of a bird.
The use of Foelkel is seen in numerous records from its origin in Germany and was carried over when people with the name moved to places such as the United States. It is commonly seen in records from South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
The surname Foelkel is associated with a people-oriented mindset. An individual with this last name is normally highly confident, sporting a can-do, positive attitude and a “never give up” demeanor. These individuals typically enjoy helping others, and typically find success in politics, teaching, and medicine. Additionally, they are often thought to be quite wise and tend to influence those around them in their decision making.
Given its interesting history of connecting to avians, the name Foelkel ultimately represents strength, resilience, and bravery through soaring through the sky with confidence. Its outlook is often summed up with the phrase “Don’t give up, just keep on flying.”
Order DNA origin analysisFoelkel: Where does the name Foelkel come from?
The last name Foelkel is most commonly found in the United States today. There are approximately 579 people in the United States who share the last name Foelkel. Pennsylvania appears to have the highest concentration, with the cities of Erie, Latrobe, and Pittsburgh having the highest number of Foelkel families.
The origins of the Foelkel surname are German. It is derived from the Middle High German words "voul" or "foul" meaning "fallow" and "kel" or "kal" meaning "stream". This suggests that the original bearers of Foelkel were living near a fallow stream, likely in what is now the German-speaking region of Germany.
The Foelkel surname is found throughout Germany today. It has also spread to Austria, France, and other European countries, as well as to Canada and some countries in South America.
The Foelkle surname became more common in the United States as immigrants from Germany came to the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many worked in the steel mills in Pennsylvania, and made this state their home.
Today, the Foelkel last name is found both in the German-speaking part of Europe and across the United States. The United States remains the home of the greatest concentration of Foelkel families.
Variations of the surname Foelkel
The variants, spellings and surnames of Foelkel include Fuerstel, Fuerstle, Fuerstlein, Foerstel, Foerstlein, Voerstel, Voerstlein, Förstel, Förstlein, Fürstel, Fürstlein, and Fürstel.
Fuerstel and Fuerstle are likely derived from the German word “Fürst” which means “prince” or “ruler”. Fuerstlein might be a diminutive variant, meaning “little prince” or “little ruler”. Similarly, Foerstel and Foerstlein are probably shorted versions of the original word.
The variant Voerstel is likely derived from the Dutch word “vorst”, which has the same meaning as the German “Fürst”. Voerstlein is likely its diminutive variant.
The variants Förstel and Förstlein are Swedish variants, again with the same meaning as “Fürst”. The spelling is slightly different from the German spelling due to language differences.
Fürstel and Fürstlein are German variants. They are the same as the original spelling but with a shorter version of the Umlaut (ß). They are also diminutive variants of “Fürst”.
The surname Foelkel is sometimes mistaken for Fehsel, which is a variant on the original surname. Fehsel is derived from the word “Fehl”, which means “mistake” in German. It is likely that a transcription error was the reason for the surname Fehsel being derived from Foelkel.
It is likely that all of the variants of Foelkel are derived from the same root word, “Fürst”. The various variants likely developed as a result of differences in language and regional spelling variations. Despite their differences in spelling, all of the variants are likely related to the original surname, Foelkel.
Famous people with the name Foelkel
- Toby Foelkel: Film Score Composer
- Erich Foelkel: Creative Director
- Ethan Foelkel: Professional Baseball Player
- Frederick Foelkel: Award-winning Entrepreneur
- William Foelkel: Actor
- Mark Foelkel: Professional Artist
- Marsha Foelkel: Celebrity Chef
- Jessica Foelkel: Social Media Influencer
- Steven Foelkel: Professional Swimmer
- Adam Foelkel: Financial Adviser