Surname Helriegel - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Helriegel: What does the surname Helriegel mean?
The last name Helriegel is of German origin and is a surname derived from the given name “Helm,” which translates to mean helmet. It can also be spelled as Helreigel and Helmreigel. The original meaning of Helriegel was 'a custodian of the headgear,’ referring to a helmet or similar headgear. The surname is associated with one of Germany's earliest recorded families and is found in records from the 13th century.
The earliest mentions of the surname are associated with knights and rulers from Southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria. It has also been suggested that the surname is a transformation of the Old High German name “Herilugil”, which was a given name meaning “noble delight”.
The Helriegel family were an influential part of German culture, owning many castles, castles in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, and Heidelberg. For hundreds of years they were the lords of a large tract of land in Baden-Württemberg and had many impressive titles. They also held important high government official positions and served as military leaders throughout German history.
Helriegel is a less common surname now, but there are still many people with this charming name around the world. The legacy of this distinguished and influential family may continue to be passed down in the form of a cherished last name.
Order DNA origin analysisHelriegel: Where does the name Helriegel come from?
The surname Helriegel is most commonly associated with the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. It is uncommon in the United States, although there are several people who have it as a part of their heritage.
In Germany, the name is normally spelled "Helriegel" and is found mainly in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate, and Saarland. It is probably a variant of the German word "Heldenregel", meaning "hero rule".
In Switzerland, the name is spelled "Herriegel" and is found in the canton of Sankt Gallen. Here it may have been a topographic name, coming from "herrgela" which can be translated to "small mountain".
In Austria, the name is spelled "Herriegel", which commonly appears in the regions of Lower and Upper Austria, as well as Salzburg and Tyrol.
In the United States, Helriegel is an uncommon surname. There are only a handful of people who have the surname, mainly in the states of California, New Jersey, and Oregon. It is likely that families who have it are descendants of German immigrants who arrived in the 20th century.
Overall, the surname Helriegel is rare around the world, but it has been preserved in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, as well as the United States.
Variations of the surname Helriegel
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Helriegel are as follows:
Helriegel (also spelled as Halriegel, Haleriegel, Hellriegel, Helleriegel, Helriger, and Helrigerl) is a German surname of ancient origin which appears to have been derived from the Old Germanic language. The original surname was formed by combining the Old German elements "Hel" (meaning "protective") and "Riegel" (meaning "barrier" or "guardian"), which is very indicative of the family's traditional occupation as protectors or guards.
Distinctly related variants of the Helriegel surname include Haler, Halerberg, Halerberger, Halerman, Halermann, Halermeier, Halerstrom, Haller, Hellersberg, Helmrigel and Heller. Each of these surnames can be traced back to the same root with slight morphological modifications.
The earliest known occurrence of the Helriegel surname dates back to 1590 in what is now Lower Saxony, Germany where Johannes Hellergel was reported by Church records. The earliest occurrences of the related variants of the surname also appear to originate from this area.
The Helriegel surname is reported to have held hereditary positions of nobility and therefore are well-documented in historical and genealogical texts. It is believed to have been one of the first noble families in the Bavarian region and the related variants are scattered throughout the world, primarily in German-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Helriegel
- Thomas Helriegel: Austrian hammer thrower who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Charles Helriegel: American bobsledder who was a member of the National Team from 1980-1990.
- Gilbert Helriegel: American football player who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1974-1975.
- Alfred Helriegel: German painter associated with the Biedermeier style.
- Pál-Antal Helriegel: Hungarian abstract painter who was also a poet and translator.
- J. Miles Helriegel: American psychologist who focused primarily on the development and uses of psychological tests in clinical settings.
- Stanislav Helriegel: Czech sculptor who specializes in wooden sculptures, mostly of animals.
- Annette Helriegel: German soprano who has performed with opera and symphony orchestras around the world.
- Arthur Helriegel: Austrian military officer and recipient of the Order of the Iron Crown,
- Ernst Helriegel: Austrian-born German conductor who was the musical director of the Breslau opera from 1895-1909.