Surname Käls - Meaning and Origin
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Käls: What does the surname Käls mean?
The last name Käls is a Swedish surname of toponymic origin, derived from a place name. It likely originated from one of various places titled Käl in Sweden. The word itself is derived from a dialectical form of the Old Swedish word keil, meaning 'mallow,' referring to a type of plant found in wet ground.
The earliest recorded instance of the Käls surname is from the 16th century, when the Akerman brothers Henrik and Olof Käls made a shipment list of goods from Gotland in 1598. The family was possibly Swedish nobility, and records of its branches can be seen in historical Swedish documents.
The Käls surname is most commonly found concentrated in and around Gotland, Stockholm, Skåne, Värmland, and Uppland. People bearing the name can be found all over Sweden, as well as other Scandinavian countries and North America.
Throughout the generations, the Käls surname has stood for a proud and independent spirit—an embodiment of the unique culture and history of Sweden. They illustrate the resilience of the Swedish people as they have adapted to a changing world and have achieved success on a global scale.
Order DNA origin analysisKäls: Where does the name Käls come from?
The last name Käls is most commonly found in Europe, especially in Finland, Estonia, and Germany. It first became popular in Finland and Estonia in the 1600s, and it is frequently encountered in; both countries today. In Finland, the largest concentrations of people with the last name Käls are found in southwestern Finland, particularly in and around the cities of Turku and Pori. In Estonia, most people with the last name Käls are from southeastern Estonia, especially in the areas around the cities of Tartu and Valga.
In Germany, the surname Käls is primarily found in the western and northern parts of the country, with especially high concentrations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. It is also found in some neighboring countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, but the occurrences are much less frequent.
Despite being primarily European in origin, the surname Käls can be found in other places around the world. Most notably, the United States and Canada have populations of people with the last name Käls, as well as citizens of other countries who have adopted the last name during their migrations.
Overall, it is safe to say that the last name Käls is most common in Europe, although it can also be found in other places around the world.
Variations of the surname Käls
The surname Käls is of Swedish origin, which is a variant of Ty Käls. The surname is known to have several spellings and variants, and can also be spelled as Kael, Kahl, Kall, Kaell and Kaelle among others. In some instances, it is also recognised as Kahlstorf, Kahlsdotter and Kallstrom.
Käls is typically an occupational surname, and denotes a 'chandler' or 'candlemaker'. The name derives from the Swedish word 'Källa', which means 'light of a candle'. It can also be interpreted as being derived from the word 'klint', which was the name of a steep hill or a small rocky outcrop.
As with many surnames of Nordic or Scandinavian origins, the use of the various surnames could have derived from the way in which they were pronounced, or the addition of 'son' or 'dotter' to denote a sense of inheritance. As a result, further variants of the surname could include Kalssen, Källsön, Källsdotter and Kälsson.
The surname Käls is still common in Sweden today, and can also be found across Europe and America.
Famous people with the name Käls
- Kaarlo Käls, Finnish general and military strategist
- Rune Käls, Swedish football player
- Rasmus Käls, Finnish ice hockey player
- Mauno Käls, Finnish artist
- Pertti Käls, Finnish composer
- Kukka Käls, Finnish author
- Soile Käls, Finnish skier
- Sini-Maija Käls, Finnish cross-country skier
- Anne Käls, Finnish author
- Jummi Käls, Finnish folk musician