Surname Naglschmidt - Meaning and Origin

Naglschmidt: What does the surname Naglschmidt mean?

The last name Naglschmidt is of German origin. It is thought to have come from the medieval personal name Naczle, which was composed of the elements nagel (German for "nail") and schmidt (German for "blacksmith"). As blacksmiths were known for their skill in shaping and forging metal objects like nails, it is likely that this family surname was derived from someone who had worked in this trade.

The surname Naglschmidt may have also been associated with a family who lived in a small village in Germany called Nagel-Schmiede. This village was named after the nailsmith profession, which was once a very popular profession in Germany.

The surname Naglschmidt is most commonly found in Germany, specifically in the states of Bavaria, Hesse, and Saxony. While the name may have been adopted by more distant relatives over time, it is still largely concentrated in these areas.

Today, the Naglschmidt surname is still present in Germany and other parts of the German-speaking world. It can still be seen in historical records, particularly in relation to its original purpose as a profession, but it is now common in many other areas as well. Some Naglschmidts may even be decended from more distant relatives who adopted the surname in different places and times. Whatever the history behind the name, it is still an important component of Germany's heritage.

Naglschmidt: Where does the name Naglschmidt come from?

The surname Nagelschmidt is primarily found in Germany today. This name is of Germanic-language origins. It is derived from the personal name Nagele, which is derived from Germanic naga meaning "edge" or "point".

The earliest recorded occurrence of the name Nagelschmidt is from 1693, when a Johannes Nagelschmidt appears in records from Pforzheim in Southwest Germany. This ancestral family likely moved south during the 18th century, and by the 19th century the name was concentrated in Bavaria and the Rhineland.

Today, most people bearing the surname Nagelschmidt live in the German states of Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg, and Nordrhein-Westfalen. There are also small numbers of people bearing this surname in the states of Sachsen and Hessen.

Outside of Germany, this surname is relatively uncommon. There are small numbers of people bearing this surname in Austria, Switzerland, and Poland, likely descendants of 19th century German immigrants. Smaller numbers also live in other parts of Europe and North America, and the surname appears in other countries such as Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

This surname is also occasionally seen with varying spellings, including Nagelsmidt, Nagelsschmidt, and Nägelschmidt. These are all believed to be variants of the same surname.

Variations of the surname Naglschmidt

Naglschmidt is an old local spelling for what is today a more commonly encountered surname, Nagel-Schmidt. It is derived from the location of Nagel, a small historical town located in Thuringia, Germany, and Germany's most populous state.

The Nagel-Schmidt spelling (also spelled Nagelschmidt) is the most popular variant of this surname. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Nado (also spelled Nagal) and schmidt, which refers to a profession, such as a blacksmith or artisan. In far northern Germany, particularly in Westphalia, this form is largely confined to those with a good German genealogy, who quite possibly originated in or near Nagel.

While Nagel-Schmidt is the most common form of the name, variants do exist in certain areas of Europe, such as Nagel-Shmidt, Nagleschmidt, Nagleschmid, Nagle-Schmidt,Invalid Nengelschmidt, Neugel-Schmidt, Nexel-Schmid, Nexelschmidt, Nagelcircus, Nagen-Schmidt, Nohagelschmidt and Nagelsmiith among others.

These surname variations are all derived from a common root. This means that family members of Nagel-Schmidt and its variants are likely to be related, however distantly, and it also means that in some cases, looking into the roots of these variations can provide helpful information when researching the family tree. For example, a small town called Nageln in Thuringia, Germany may have been the original home of the surname in its earliest form.

Famous people with the name Naglschmidt

• Wilhelm Naglschmidt (1865–1944) was a German businessperson and politician. He was a member of the Reichstag in the Weimar Republic.
• Uwe Naglschmidt (born 1943) is a German astrophysicist and astronomer, known for his research into the evolution of stars.
• Arthur Naglschmidt (died 2007) was a German ceramic artist and sculptor. His works were featured in major exhibitions, including the documenta in 1970.
• Johann Naglschmidt (1877–1955) was an Austrian coachman who worked on the imperial court in Vienna.
• Richard Naglschmidt (born 1943) is a German linguist and language teacher, known for his research on the German language.
• Heinz Naglschmidt (1934–2018) was a German art historian and curator. He was the founding director of the Bremen Museum of Art.
• Ludwig Naglschmidt (1841–1919) was an Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist from Vienna. He pioneered the use of hypnosis in the treatment of mental illness.
• Richard Naglschmidt (born 1947) is a German entrepreneur and media executive. He is the former CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media.
• Emil Naglschmidt (1859–1915) was a German Catholic theologian and historian. He wrote several books on the history of the Catholic Church in Germany.
• Wilhelm Naglschmidt (1816–1874) was a German sculptor and medalist. He is known for the sculptures he created for the city of Leipzig.

Other surnames

Naglschmid