Surname Hinkel - Meaning and Origin

Hinkel: What does the surname Hinkel mean?

Hinkel is a German surname. It is derived from the Middle High German word Hinke, which means "to limp" or "to hobble". It is likely that the surname originally referred to a physical trait—most likely limping—that became associated with a particular individual or family. Over time, the name became part of the family's identity, passed down to each subsequent generation.

The surname is most commonly found in central and southeastern Germany, as well as in Switzerland, Austria, and the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. It is also found in other parts of the world, including the United States, South Korea, and Israel.

The spelling of the surname has varied over time, sometimes being spelled as "Hinkel", other times as "Hinkelmann". It is also sometimes spelled as "Hinkele", "Hänkel", or "Henkel".

The Hinkel surname is very old, as evidenced by records from other sources, such as insurance companies, census registers, and community records. The oldest record of the surname comes from 1343, when a man named Henkele of Glarus was mentioned in a certificate of archive security.

Today, the Hinkel surname continues to be passed down through families, connecting members to their past and offering a tangible link to their Germanic heritage.

Hinkel: Where does the name Hinkel come from?

The surname Hinkel is most commonly found in Germany today, particularly in the southern area of the country. Most people with thelast name Hinkel originated in the state of Bavaria, where the name is likely derived from, or at least heavily associated with, the city of Heidelberg.

Due to immigration over the centuries, people with the last name Hinkel have spread out and can now be found in numerous countries around Europe. There is a also a large number of Hinkel families living in the United States, primarily around the Midwest and East Coast regions.

The popularity of the last name Hinkel is mainly concentrated in Germany and can be traced to the two most prominent families of the name, the Bavarian Hinkel family and the Neuburg-Axel Hinkel family. These two families have been associated with a variety of notable people throughout history, including diplomat and statesman Bernhard von Hinkelsberg and politician and poet Richard von Hinkel.

Hinkel remains a relatively uncommon last name today, at least in comparison to other more popular German surnames such as Müller, Schmidt, and Schneider. However, it has remained a prominent family name for several generations and continues to be found in modern times, primarily in Germany, the United States, and other European countries.

Variations of the surname Hinkel

The surname Hinkel is a German name that comes from Low German, a language which is related to Old English. It is thought to have originated from the Latin name Henricus, meaning “ruler” or “leader,” and it is most commonly found among German-speaking people. The surname comes in a variety of variants, with spellings and surnames of the same origin including Henkel, Hinkle, Hinckley, Heinkle, Henkle, Henckel, Hinkley, Hinckel, Hengel, Hencke, Henck, Hankle, Henke, Hyngel, Hungkel, and Hyngle.

The Hinkle and Hinckel variations of the Hinkel name are particularly prominent in regions where German-speaking immigrants settled in America. The variants of the name can also be found throughout other German-speaking countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands.

In some cases, the surname may be altered depending on a region’s language and dialect. For example, in some parts of Germany the surname is pronounced “hin-kel” while in areas with a more heavily German influence, it is pronounced “hink-el.” The oldest recorded iterations of the name come from Bavaria, where the forms Hankl and Henkel were recorded in local documents dating all the way back to the 13th century.

In some areas, Hinkel may also be found spelled as Henk or Henck, and variants of the name have been commonly found in Jewish and/or Yiddish-speaking populations. It is also possible that, in some areas, the surname Hinkel may have also been altered depending on a region’s language or dialect, with Hinkel being pronounced or spelled differently.

Famous people with the name Hinkel

• Paul Hinkel: Paul Hinkel was a German footballer who played for Kickers Offenbach and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He was also part of the West Germany team that won the 1972 European Championships.
• Henry Hinkel: Henry Hinkel was an American forester and conservationist who worked in the timber industry and helped save the ancient Redwood forests.
• Turhan Bey: Turhan Bey was a Turkish-Austrian actor and producer who became popular for his roles in The Mummy’s Hand, The Mummy’s Tomb and Jungle Woman.
• Franz-Josef Hinkel: Franz-Josef Hinkel was a successful German businessman who was the Chairman and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG, one of the world's largest shipping lines.
• Brigitte Hinkel: Brigitte Hinkel is a German writer and journalist who’s written several books of essays and memoirs about her travels.
• Antje Hinkel: Antje Hinkel is a German photographer and artist who’s known for her black and white photography.
• Willy Hinkel: Willy Hinkel was a German field hockey player who, along with his team, won the bronze medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Lydia Hinkel: Lydia Hinkel is a German actress and voiceover artist who’s been in several TV shows and films.
• Brigitte Böttrich-Hinkel: Brigitte Böttrich-Hinkel was a German children's author and illustrator who wrote numerous books for young readers.
• Julius Hinkel: Julius Hinkel was a German politician who was the national leader of the German Democratic Party in Hamburg.

Other surnames

HinkefussHinkefußHinkelmannHinkelmannsHinkenHinkey