Surname Gebels - Meaning and Origin
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Gebels: What does the surname Gebels mean?
The last name Gebels is of German origin and is derived from the Old High German "gibil" which means "hostage". It is likely an occupational last name, referring to individuals who held hostages as part of their job or profession. The prefix "ge–" corresponds to the Middle High German "gevehl", meaning “command” and would have been a term by which hostage holders were known. As a surname the name is first recorded in Silesia in the 14th century and underwent several slight variations over time.
The surname Gebels appears to have blanketed the Germanic regions during the Middle Ages with a concentration mainly in northern Germany and the Netherlands. From there, it spread throughout Europe with families bearing the name eventually settling in England, Canada, South Africa, and the United States. Today, many individuals bearing the name are found amongst the German and Dutch-speaking countries, as well as the United States.
As a common surname, Gebels is linked with a wide variety of notable individuals including the infamous Nazi official Joseph Goebbels, composer Mark Gebels, and sculptor Marika Gebels. Despite the range of historical figures, the name nonetheless retains its original meaning as an occupational surname for hostage keepers.
Order DNA origin analysisGebels: Where does the name Gebels come from?
The last name Gebels is typically seen in Germany, and is also more commonly found in Dutch speaking areas such as the Netherlands and Belgium. It is an occupational surname, originating from the Middle Low German word "gevel" meaning "dweller by the gable". Gebels is a habitational name, meaning that it originated as a name associated with a place or region, in this case the gable.
Gebels is also found in the United States, although this is much less common. It is believed to have been introduced to the US when Dutch immigrants from Netherlands and Belgium settled in the mid to late 1700s and 1800s. Today, the Gebels name is found mostly in Ohio, Michigan, and the Mid-Atlantic states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
The Gebels name can also be seen in other parts of the world, such as Canada, South Africa, and in some areas of Central and South America. Each location has its own unique history regarding the Gebels name, indicating that the family has spread out over a much broader geographic area than originally thought. As such, the Gebels name is no longer predominant in one certain geographic location.
Variations of the surname Gebels
The surname Gebels has several alternative spellings and variants in use today. It is mainly used as a patronymic surname, but can also be used to denote from where someone originally came, to indicate a certain profession, or as an alternative to a man-made name.
Variants in spelling are Gebal, Gebel, Gebaler, Gebell, Gebeler, Gebellin, Gebelline, Gebelin and Gebeling. Surnames which share the same origin from the same family are Gebelheim, Gebele, Gebelsdorff, Geblies, Geblis, Geblessdorf, Geblio, Geblo, Gebloff, and Geblesheim.
Gebels is a predominantly German surname and German towns with the same name that may have contributed to the formation of this surname are: the Rhineland-Palatinate municipalities of Gebhardshain and Gebhardshöhe, and the Hesse towns of Gebelsbach and Gebelbach. Some Gebels may also have Belarusian roots; the Belarusian surname Gapul is believed to have the same root as Gebels.
Gebels is also found in some other countries. In Italy, surnames vary from Gebelone to Gebelucci. In the Netherlands, Gebles is the common spelling of the surname, while Geblese is also seen occasionally. In other Europe countries, such as in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and France, the name Gebles appears in records as being used in the past.
In Czech Republic, different spellings and variants are found in historical records. While Gebela is the most common form of the name, Gebel, Gebels, Gebelis, Gebilse, Gebiles, Gebelenz and Gebils are some of the other forms that have appeared in records of the region as well.
Finally, in the United States, Gebels has been commonly used in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin in the form of Gebles and Gebly.
Famous people with the name Gebels
- Joseph Goebbels: Nazi minister of propaganda and Nazi Party member; leader of Nazi Germany’s Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda during World War II.
- Robert Goebbels: Luxembourgian composer born in 1921.
- Bruno Goebbels: German theatre director who served from 1999 to 2006 as the artistic director of the Münchner Kammerspiele.
- Willie Goebels:South African rugby union forward who played for the Lions in the early 1980s.
- Finola Goebbels: Irish actress and model who appeared in several films, television dramas and advertising campaigns.
- Pete Goebel: American professional football player who played from 1922 to 1926.
- Gustaf Goebel: Dutch swimmer who represented the Netherlands at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
- Adolph Goebel: German botanist who from 1850 onward served as director of the German Physikalischen Institut (Institute of Physics) in Mannheim.
- André-Paul Goebels: Belgian politician who served as a diplomat and ambassador to Japan.
- Patrick Goebbels: Belgian football coach who currently manages the Belgium under-19s national football team.