Surname Hänschel - Meaning and Origin
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Hänschel: What does the surname Hänschel mean?
Hänschel is a German surname that is believed to have originated in the Palatinate region of western Germany. It is a diminutive form of Hahn, the German word for rooster, and is thought to have originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked with chickens.
The surname is found in records dating back to the late 17th century, where it appears in reference to a farmer and owner of garners, Wilhelmi Hanschel, who lived in the village of Suckow in 1703. A physician, doctor Hanschel, is mentioned in an 1812 document, and another Hanschel was a teacher in the same village in the year 1825.
The surname is most associated with the modern German landscape painter, Ludwig Wilhelm Hänschel, born in 1847. His father was a chemist who invented a method of dyeing cloth known as “Hanschel’s Carmin”, which was widely used in the textile industry. His work was widely acclaimed in Europe during the mid 19th century, with his painting, “Mountain Scene in the Engadine Valley”, winning a medal at the Paris Salon of 1870.
Hänschel is a relatively uncommon surname of German origin. Today, those who bear the surname can trace their ancestors back to the Palatinate region of western Germany. People with this surname have made significant contributions to society in different fields, including science, art, and industry.
Order DNA origin analysisHänschel: Where does the name Hänschel come from?
The last name Hänschel is a German surname that is primarily found in Germany today. The name originates from the Middle High German term "hans" which meant "cock" or "rooster" and is thought to mean that the person either had the characteristics of a rooster or owned one.
In general, the surname Hänschel has been historically common throughout German-speaking countries in Europe, as well as in Argentina and the USA - which is due to German migration in the 19th-20th centuries .
In Germany, the name is found most commonly in the northern regions, and especially in the states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. In Hamburg, 1,494 people currently carry the surname, and a further 4,543 people in Schleswig-Holstein and 8,701 in Lower Saxony.
In the USA, the name is the 3982nd most common name, according to the US Census Bureau 2020 Statistical Abstract and is primarily found in Pennsylvania and New York. In the UK, the name is quite rare with only 36 occurrences between 2014 - 2016.
In Australia, the name is much less common, with only 97 occurrences in the 2016 Australian census and is primarily found in New South Wales and Victoria.
Overall, the surname Hänschel is most commonly found in German-speaking countries such as Germany, and is surprisingly still quite common in some of the countries that experienced high numbers of German migration in the 19th-20th centuries, such as the USA and Argentina.
Variations of the surname Hänschel
The surname Hänschel is often associated with German-speaking countries but spelling and variants of the name can also be found in other European countries. Variations of the name include the following:
Hansel - The most common variation of the surname Hänschel, Hansel has been adopted across the world. It is the German word for “little John” and is a form of a diminutive nickname.
Hanschel - Hanschel is a variation of the German surname Hänschel. It does not have a common usage in Germany and most sources list it as a variant.
Henschel - Henschel is another variation of the German surname Hänschel. It is a common surname in Germany and other German-speaking countries and has been used there since at least the 12th century.
Hansen - The Scandinavian form of the surname is Hansen. It is found mostly in Denmark and Norway, however, it can also be found in other German-speaking countries.
Hansl - This is a less common variation of the German surname Hänschel, primarily found in Austria.
Hanser - Hanser is a variant of the Germanic surname Hänschel that is mostly used in North America, though it is also found in other countries.
Hänsl - Hänsl is an alternate variant of the German surname Hänschel. It is mostly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Haenschel - Yet another variation of the German surname Hänschel, Haenschel is less commonly used, but is still found in German-speaking countries.
Hensler - Hensler is another variation of the German surname Hänschel. It is mostly found in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg and has been in use since at least the 16th century.
Overall, the surname Hänschel is found in many countries and it has several variants, spellings, and variations. Spelling and form can vary depending on the region and context, but all of them are ultimately descended from the same source.
Famous people with the name Hänschel
- Fred Hänschel: Fred Hänschel was an American singer-songwriter, actor and author. He had a successful career throughout the 1970s and 80s as a television and movie actor.
- Sebastian Hänschel: Sebastian Hänschel is a German baker, best known for his work on MTV's series Famous in 12. Hänschel studied in The Art and Crafts College in Huasbach, Germany, where he specialized in bakery and pastry baking.
- Chaim Hänschel: Chaim Hänschel was a Jewish Austrian lawyer and Zionist leader who is best remembered for his role in negotiating the transfer of thousand of Jews to Palestine during the late 1930s.
- Ludwig Hänschel: Ludwig Hänschel was a German cinematographer who worked on films such as Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Disney's Fantasia.
- Adolf Hänschel: Adolf Hänschel (1803–1890) was a prolific classical and romantic German composer and conductor who wrote 5 operas and over 30 cantatas.
- Joachim Hänschel: Joachim Hänschel was a German lawyer and politician of the 19th century. He served as a Member of the Prussian Landtag, and later was appointed Oberpräsident of Brandenburg Province.
- Kurt Hänschel: Kurt Hänschel was a German aviator who flew for German Air Force during World War I and then went on to become a barnstormer post-war.
- Kurt Hänschel, Jr.: Kurt Hänschel, Jr. was a German entrepreneur and philanthropist who created the eponymous Kurt-Hänschel-Stiftung foundation which focused on providing grant money for scientific research, education, and arts.