Surname Nissel - Meaning and Origin
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Nissel: What does the surname Nissel mean?
The last name Nissel is a Jewish name of German origin. Found in records dating back to the early 17th century, the name is most commonly associated with the city of Isny im Allgäu near the Austrian-German border. The name is derived from the German word "nissel," referring to a thick bundle of small twigs, and a person with this name may have once been a craftsman making baskets.
It is possible that the family originally emigrated to this area from elsewhere in Europe, as many Jews did around this time in order to seek religious freedom or seek better economic opportunities. It is also possible that the original bearer of the name lived in a place where there was a significant Jewish population; for example, East Central Germany or the Netherlands.
The name Nissel is still found in parts of Germany and Austria, as well as in some American states, Canada, and Australia. It is a somewhat rare name, and those who bear it can trace their ancestry back to the earliest days of German Jewish settlement. Many of the Nissel's of today are descendants of those who left their homes in pursuit of opportunity.
Order DNA origin analysisNissel: Where does the name Nissel come from?
Nissel is a German surname that is found in many countries of the world today. It is derived from the Israeli word "Ness," meaning "miracle." It is most common in Germany, where it originated, and is also found in the United States, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it is mainly associated with Jewish ancestry, and is found among populations with a long history in the country.
In Germany, records of the Nissel family go back to the Middle Ages, and the name may have been given to this family by a local holy man or rabbi. The Nissel family originally lived in the town of Neesen, near Frankfurt. They were wealthy merchants and producers of fur and duck feather products. Over the centuries, members of the family spread out across Germany and eventually across the world.
Today, the Nissel surname is most common in Germany. The German phone book lists approximately 200 people with the surname Nissel, mostly in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse. Within the United States, the surname is most common in the states of New York, California, and Illinois. The 2021 US census data showed that there are around 1,500 people living with the last name Nissel, spread across all 50 states.
Nissel is an uncommon surname, but there are still many people around the world with ancestral ties to this German family name. The presence of the surname in many countries is a reflection of the global circulation of people and cultures over the last few centuries.
Variations of the surname Nissel
The surname Nissel has several alternative spellings and variants that all originate from the same family. These include Nessel, Nissel, Nissen, Nishen, Nissoon, Nasel and Nazel.
Nessel is the most commonly used spelling variation of Nissel. It is derived from a German word that means “little noose” and is likely to have been an occupational name for a ropemaker.
Nissel is the original spelling of the surname and is a German-Jewish surname derived from the Yiddish word nisel meaning “hatred”. This is likely to have been an occupational name for someone involved in the manufacture or sale of hats.
Nishen is a spelling variation of Nissel and is likely to have the same meaning as Nissel as it is also derived from the Yiddish word nisel meaning “hatred”.
Nissoon is an alternative spelling of Nissel and is an occupational name for someone involved in the manufacture of felt hats. It is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “something to cover the head”.
Nasel is another variant of the surname Nissel and is derived from the German word Nielsen meaning “renowned”.
Finally, Nazel is a spelling variant of Nissel and is likely to have the same meaning as Nissel as it is also derived from the Yiddish word nisel meaning “hatred”.
Famous people with the name Nissel
- Maury Nussal: American actor, writer, producer, and director.
- Mark Nissen: Former professional soccer player.
- Richard Nissen: German crime fiction author.
- Roxy Nissim: Canadian pop singer-songwriter.
- Albert Nissel: German judge and arbitrator.
- Jacob Nissel: Austrian inventor and entrepreneur.
- Michael Nissel: Swiss footballer and coach.
- Alfred Nissel: German author and theologian.
- Erika Nissel: Austrian lawyer and politician.
- Nils Nissel: Swedish actor, director and theatre producer.
- Jürgen Nissel: German physicist and inventor.
- Paul Nissel: Austrian film producer and director.
- Johannes Nissel: Austrian biochemist and professor.
- Maurice Nissel: American architect and urban planner.
- Walter Nissel: German footballer and coach.
- Eleonora Nissel: Italian painter.