Surname Pauwels - Meaning and Origin
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Pauwels: What does the surname Pauwels mean?
The last name Pauwels is of Dutch origin and is believed to have derived from the Medieval name Pauwel. The name Pauwel is derived from an old German first name, "Paul", which means "little" or "humble". This is why Pauwels was historically a form of patronymic surnames, which is a name derived from the father's given name. In the Netherlands, the last name was originally spelled Pauwel.
Pauwels, like other patronymic surnames, wasn't originally intended to be a fixed family name and morphed over time as other family members bore it. Because of this, there are various spellings of the name, including Pawal, Pahuls, Pasvels, Pols, Pouwels, Powel, and other variations.
The bearer of this name was likely to have been a humble person who was very loyal. In old Dutch, the word “pauwe” is used to describe a peacock which is often associated with loyalty. This is likely where Pauwels originates from.
Pauwels is still a very popular name across The Netherlands and is often seen all over the world as Dutch emigrants brought the name with them. Nowadays it is a well-known and very distinctive surname among those of Dutch descent.
Order DNA origin analysisPauwels: Where does the name Pauwels come from?
The last name Pauwels is most commonly found today in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a common Belgian surname, and is believed to have originated in the medieval period as a patronymic surname from the Dutch personal name "Paul". The surname has several different spellings, including Pauwel, Pauwels, Pavlas, Pauels, Pauwl and Pauwells, which are all derived from the root Pauw.
In Belgium, the most commonly used spelling is Pauwels. Nearly 6,000 Belgian citizens currently have this surname, mainly living in Flanders and the province of Brabant. In the Netherlands, Pauwels is an uncommon last name, and only about 850 people hold this surname.
In the United States, Pauwels is a relatively uncommon surname as well. The 2000 U.S. Census reported about 2,400 people with this last name, mainly concentrated in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In Canada, Pauwels is also an uncommon surname, with just over 1,000 individuals having the last name.
Pauwels is also found in other parts of Europe, such as France, Germany, and Austria, although in smaller numbers than in Belgium and the Netherlands. Finally, the surname is found in Australia and New Zealand as well, with the main concentration of people with this name found in Queensland, Australia.
Variations of the surname Pauwels
Pauwels is the Dutch word for the specific dialect of the Palatinate German language, also known as the "Pals". It is a surname derived from a geographical location, specifically the village of Born in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands.
Variants of the surname Pauwels include Pauwell, Pawels, Pawland, Pawlens, and Pawlants. Each of these variants is derived from the Dutch language and originates from the same geographical location.
Spellings of the surname Pauwels differ slightly depending on the dialect of Dutch being used. Paauwels or Pauwelz are common variants that are found in the Netherlands, while Paauels, Pouwels, and Paulels are more common in Flanders, Belgium.
When it comes to surnames of the same origin as Pauwels, many are derived from the same dialect of the Palatinate German language. These include names such as Poels, Paulla, Paullaerts, Paullens, Pauwelaere, Poelaert, and Poelaers.
In Germany, the surname Pauwels is also spelled Powels or Powland. This variation is used to differentiate from other Bavarian and Lower Saxon-style surnames, which are typically spelled with a "W" instead of a "V".
Other variants of the surname Pauwels are quite rare and include bearers of the name Palens, Palewis, Palas, Paalants, Palwart, Paalant, Paalwert, and Paalen.
Famous people with the name Pauwels
- Sandi Pauwels: well known for her work as a historian, political strategist, and public speaker across the United States.
- Andy Pauwels: professional guitarist and tour manager known for his work with Pennsylvania indie rock group Plain White T's.
- Nathan Pauwels: Belgian photographer known for his dark and surreal images.
- Lieven Pauwels: Belgian cyclist who competed in the 2012 Vuelta a España.
- Guido Pauwels: Belgian ISU official and Olympic referee, best known for his figure skating work at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Alan Pauwels: German football goalkeeper who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.
- Humfrey Pauwels: British Royal Air Force pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross during World War II.
- Wilfried Pauwels: Belgian cycling journalist and television presenter.
- Dirk Pauwels: Belgian fashion designer known for his luxury ready-to-wear clothing line.
- François Pauwels: Belgian author and professor, specializing in the history of science and technology.