Surname Tiel - Meaning and Origin

Tiel: What does the surname Tiel mean?

The last name Tiel is an occupational surname of Dutch origin. It probably originated from the Middle Dutch word "Tiale," meaning "tile," referring to two occupations that made heavy use of tiles: tile makers, which were an important and widespread craft in the Netherlands in the Middle Ages; or bell-ringers, which was a job that required the making and manipulation of metal tiles to make a bell-ringing sound.

The surname could also refer to the city of Tilburg, which was an important Dutch industrial and trading center in the 15th – 16th centuries, with an economically strong tile-making industry. This was one of the few Dutch cities to have a market for washed stone, used as the raw material for tile production. This was a definite family occupation in this area.

The name may also have been derived from the ancient Dutch word for a farm that was surrounded by tiles, which was called a "Tyelhuis." This term was commonly used until the late 19th century for a farm or outbuilding that was surrounded by rows of tiles. This was meant to protect the farm from animals and to keep it warm in the cold Dutch winter.

Thus, the last name Tiel likely began as an occupational name referring to the trade and/or manufacture of tiles, or living in a farm surrounded by tiles. It is still a common surname found in the Netherlands today, and in other countries with Dutch origins like South Africa and Namibia.

Tiel: Where does the name Tiel come from?

The last name Tiel is most commonly found today in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, and Friesland, as well as the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It is one of the 5-10 most common surnames in the Netherlands. Some variants of the name, such as Tielen, exist in Germany, however they are much less common.

The surname is believed to have originated from various placenames in the region, such as Thiulles, Tieles, and Tielsche, which all share the same root ("thiu-el"). As with many Dutch surnames, they are often derived from a Dutch place-name and refer to the people who lived near the said place.

The surname comes from the Old Dutch or Middle Dutch personal name Theodel, a combination of elements meaning "people" and "divine". As such, the surname could have originated from a variety of contexts, such as a nickname for someone deemed divine by their people, an occupational name for someone who acted on behalf of a lord or deity, or simply as a patronymic last name derived from the personal name.

It is also possible that the name could have derived from a house or farmstead known as ‘Tiel’s’ or ‘Tielen’s’, but this is much less common.

The Tiel family name has spread to various countries outside of the Netherlands, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and England, among others. Interestingly, the name could also be found in India during the British Raj era, although it is unclear how it made its way there.

Variations of the surname Tiel

The surname Tiel can be spelt in various ways as it is a Dutch name. Some of the common variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Tiel include:

• Tiele

• Tile

• Tiell

• Tielen

• Tieler

• Tieels

• Teelen

• Teels

• Teeler

• Thiel

• Thiell

• Thielen

• Thieler

• Thiels

• Teeelen

• Teeels

• Teeeler

The various spellings can often be found in the records due to human error or changing times. For example, in the 16th century, it was common to spell the surname with an extra "e" at the end. However, in modern times, this spelling has disappeared and is now rare.

In addition to these variants, the surname Tiel is also known as a patronymic surname. Meaning it is derived from an ancestor’s given name. This surname is derived from a personal name that consists of the elements "tie", meaning people, and "lend", which is an old German word for land. Therefore, the surname Tiel may be an occupational name for someone who works for the government.

Still, other surnames which are similar to Tiel include:

• Tielman

• Tiemersma

• Teilman

• Telman

• Theilman

• Teelmans

• Tieuwsma

• Thiemann

• Tieman

• Theilmann

In summary, the surname Tiel is a Dutch name which has many variants, spellings, and names of similar origin. The variant spelling of the surname in the 16th century had an extra "e" in the end that has since disappeared, and it is often derived from an ancestor’s given name.

Famous people with the name Tiel

• Mark Tiel, former American football player
• Tom Tiel, German musician
• Daan Tiel, Dutch painter
• Dennis Tiel, Dutch TV presenter
• Bart Tiel, Dutch actor
• Steven Tiel, Dutch musician
• Benjamin Tiel, Dutch actor
• Willy Tiel, Dutch actor
• Robert Tiel, Dutch doctor
• Dominique Tiel, Dutch dancer
• Evelien Tiel, Dutch designer
• Inez Tiel, Dutch artist
• Jeroen Tiel, Dutch musician
• Floortje Tiel, Dutch singer
• Elsje Tiel, Dutch fashion designer
• David Tiel, Dutch singer-songwriter
• Orlando Tiel, Dutch film director
• Alexander Tiel, Dutch model
• Wally Tiel, Dutch comedian
• Tobias Tiel, Dutch drummer

Other surnames

TiebautTieboutTiedTiedchenTiedckeTiedeTiedeckTiedeckeTiedeckenTiedecksTiedekTiedekeTiedekenTiedemannTiedenTiedensTiederleTiedermannTiedgeTiedgenTiedgensTiedickeTiedingTiedjeTiedjenTiedjensTiedkeTiedkenTiedmannTiedrich