Surname Zangl - Meaning and Origin
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Zangl: What does the surname Zangl mean?
The surname Zangl is of Germanic origin and is believed to be derived from the old German 'Zangale', a personal name meaning 'fork-bearer'. It is thought to be related to the Latin 'fasciola', referring to a spear-like staff of authority or personal protection.
The surname was mainly found in Bavaria and Schwabisch Gmond, where it was most commonly found in the region's Thurgau and Wurttemburg provinces. It is thought to have been brought to the region in the 6th century by Germanic tribes, though its exact origin is unclear.
In the Middle Ages, the name was borne by families across Germany, but was particularly associated with the cities of Nuremburg, Augsburg, and Munich. It is likely that individuals of the same last name descended from the same family, though the identity of any common ancestor is unknown.
The root word of Zangl, 'zang', also has given rise to a number of other surnames, including Zanger, Zangmeister, Zangerle, and Zanglmann. It is possible that individuals with these surnames may have descended from the same family as those with the surname Zangl, though further genealogical investigation would be required to verify this connection.
Order DNA origin analysisZangl: Where does the name Zangl come from?
The last name Zangl is most commonly found in the German-speaking world, particularly in Austria. The name is believed to have originated in Bavaria, where it would have been subject to the heavy influence of local realities there, such as language and culture. There is also corresponding evidence of Zangl in Switzerland, with records dating back to around the 14th century.
The name Zangl has been recorded in many different spellings over the centuries, as is common with surnames. Variants of the spelling include Zengl, Zengel, Zengler, Zenkel, and Zankl.
Today, the last name Zangl is still relatively common in Austria, where over 1000 people bear the name. Although not as numerous as in Austria, there is smaller representation of Zangl throughout Germany, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe. In the United States, the name is much less common, and numbers fewer than 200 people throughout the country according to the 2010 Census. The highest concentration of this surname in the US is in Pennsylvania.
Variations of the surname Zangl
The surname Zangl is an occupational surname of German origin that comes from the Proto-Germanic roots meaning “to cut” or “to chop”. It referred to the skilled axe-making and weapon-crafting of early Blacksmiths, who created the tools for which the family name is associated. Thus, this makes the surname Zangl related to the anglicized version of its spelling Zangle. Other variants of this surname include Zandle, Zangle, Zangle, Zanggel, Zangenle, and Zangel.
There is some room to debate whether the surname Zangl can also include the families Zangen, Zang and Zinge. The difficulty in definitively affirming whether these names can be considered part of the same family or not is due to the fact that much of the available literature and genealogical records for the time where these names originated are absent. Hence, there is no conclusive proof that these surnames are connected in any way to the Zangl name.
Other spelled variations of the surname Zangl also exist, such as (Zonggle, Zanggle, Zonggel, Tzangel, Tzangl, and Zangeli). In the Algerian Jewish community, there is also the spelling Tzangl which was born out of the migration to North Africa. It is also popularly used in the Netherlands, where the surname has a long history.
Overall, surname Zangl is the primary variant of this family name, but there are many variations in spelling and surnames of the same origin that could also be applicable when tracing Zangl family histories and genealogies.
Famous people with the name Zangl
- Stefan Zangl: a former professional Austrian alpine ski racer and three-time Olympian
- René Zangl: a former Austrian footballer and current manager of Union Leobendorf
- Bernard Zangl: a former Austrian football player and current coach
- Joe Zangl: a former American football player
- Sonja Zangl: a German-born American painter, sculptor and printmaker
- Paul Zangl: an Austrian television journalist and author
- Erwin Zangl: a former Austrian skier
- Monika Zangl: an Austrian television presenter
- Patrick Zangl: an Austrian artist and sculptor
- Eva Zangl: an Austrian-born opera singer, pianist, and composer/arranger.