Surname Zengel - Meaning and Origin
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Zengel: What does the surname Zengel mean?
The last name Zengel is an occupational German surname. This name is derived from the Old German term zungenmacher, meaning "one who works with tongs". These tongs were related to various industries such as armor making, locksmithing, or blacksmithing. Over time, the term was modified to Zengel.
Today, there are many people with the last name Zengel throughout Europe and around the world. This surname is common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as with many people of German heritage living in the United States and elsewhere.
The Zengel surname is likely associated with wealth and craftsmen skills. Those with this name in Germany during the feudal era most likely had occupations associated with metalworking and arms crafting. Those with a Zengel surname are likely part of a proud family line that dates back many generations.
This surname is derived from the Trade and craft practice, which was a traditional German practice in the Middle Ages where craftsmen and tradesmen passed their trade down through the family lines. It is likely that the Zengel family are a portion of this lineage.
The Zengel surname is likely to have been passed through the centuries as a reminder of the family's proud past and connection to skilled tradespeople in Germany. While many with the surname may not actually be involved in the metalworking trade, the Zengel surname carries a proud history of skilled craftsmen that have been passed down through generations.
Order DNA origin analysisZengel: Where does the name Zengel come from?
The last name Zengel is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is also found in various other countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, the last name Zengel is particularly common in Pennsylvania, New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio. The highest concentrations of this surname are found in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
The Zengel name is a very old German surname, so it is not surprising that Germany is where it is most common. It is derived from the German word "zengel" which means "hook" or "pincers". The name was likely given to a person who had a physical characteristic similar to that of a hook or a pair of pincers.
In Germany, the spelling of Zengel is quite common and it is estimated that more than 17,000 people in Germany have the surname. Many of these individuals are of Swiss-German descent with their ancestors originating from the Rhineland area. It is also known that the surname is found in Swabia, Bavaria, and the Palatinate.
In Austria, the last name Zengel is quite common and records indicate that more than 22,000 people have this last name. It is also quite common in Switzerland, with almost 10,000 people having the last name.
Overall, the last name Zengel is quite common in Germany and several other countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It is derived from the German word "zengel" meaning "hook" or "pincers" and records indicate that people with this surname originated from the Rhineland area of Germany.
Variations of the surname Zengel
The surname Zengel originates from German-speaking countries and is pronounced “zen-gul”. It is derived from the Middle High German “sennegele”, meaning "ERB family". In Germany, there are multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the Zengel surname.
The most common variant is "Zenkel". Other spellings include "Zenkle" and "Senkel". The surnames Zenker, Schenkel, and Sendker are also derived from this root.
In some cases, the surname is spelled in the Americanized form "Zangel". It is often spelled in the Dutch form "Zengelen" as well.
The surname Zengel is also spelled in various ways in other European countries. In the Czech Republic, for example, it is spelled "Cengel". In Austria, the surname is spelled "Zenzl" or "Zenzel". In the Netherlands, the name is spelled either "Zengelen" or "Zenkelen".
In some parts of the southern and eastern United States, the surname is spelled "Sengel". It is also spelled "Sengeler" in some locations.
The surnames Zengle, Zengl, and Senkel are all variants of this common name. Other variants include Zangel, Zangle, Zenzle, Zenz Eugene, Zongle, and Zumgle.
These variants of the surname Zengel can tell us much about the family’s heritage and its migration from its origins in Germany and other European countries.
Famous people with the name Zengel
- Lena Zengel: German actress who received critical acclaim for her performance in the German drama System Crasher for which she won a Silver Bear at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival.
- Dieter Zengel: German mathematician who is best known for establishing the concept of iterative function systems, now widely used in Computer Science.
- Wang Zengel: Chinese-born Filipino businesswoman and philanthropist who works to bridge understanding between Filipinos and Chinese.
- Roderick G. Zengel: American architect who was responsible for designing iconic buildings in the Washington, D.C. area such as the Library of Congress and the United States Botanic Garden.
- Marvin Zengel: Canadian hockey winger who played for teams such as the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders.
- Don Zengel: American professional golfer who won the 1967 Women's Western Amateur championship and was inducted into the Florida Golf Hall of Fame in 2014.
- Mei Zengel: Chinese-American photographer and artist whose work explores questions of gender, identity, and cultural displacement.
- Frank Zengel: American professor emeritus of biochemical engineering at the University of Delaware and the founder of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Delaware Section.
- Dong Zengel: Chinese-born zhen erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle) master who has performed with various orchestras around the world.
- Yvonne Zengel: German-American actress who was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for her performance in the 2017 thriller Hostiles.