Surname Turgel - Meaning and Origin
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Turgel: What does the surname Turgel mean?
The last name Turgel appears to be of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, often seen in families with roots in Eastern Europe. However, detailed information about its direct meaning or original derivation is quite limited or not easily available. It may be connected to a trade, geographic location, or an ancestor's personal characteristics, following the common ways of forming surnames in Jewish tradition. It’s always crucial to consider, however, that many names have transformed significantly over centuries due to factors like migration and language evolution.
Notably, Simcha Bunim Turgel (1915–2014) was a Polish-born rabbi who survived The Holocaust, later becoming a prominent figure in the British Jewish community. Another known figure is Gena Turgel, a Polish Holocaust survivor who dedicated her life to educating people about the Holocaust. Surname meanings can be quite specific to families; a personal genealogical investigation can often prove the most fruitful approach in understanding a specific surname's origin and meaning. However, it is also important to note that the meaning of surnames does not hold a significant role in Jewish culture and religious practice.
Order DNA origin analysisTurgel: Where does the name Turgel come from?
Turgel is a Jewish surname of Russian and Polish origin, and may have originated in places such as Pinsk, Khainov, or Smilavchz in Belarus. Today, it is a fairly uncommon surname, and is most commonly found in areas with large Jewish populations, such as Israel, the United States, and parts of Europe. It is estimated that there are around 519 Turgel families located throughout the world.
In the United States, the Turgel surname is most commonly found in New York, Florida, California, and Massachusetts. In New York City, Turgel families were likely among the first Jews to immigrate from Europe before the turn of the twentieth century, when a number of Jewish immigrants settled in the city to escape religious persecution and poverty.
In Israel, the surname is most commonly found in the cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem, as well as in other religious Jewish communities throughout the country. Given the large population of Orthodox Jews in these cities, it is likely that some Turgel families are part of a longstanding and well-established community.
In Europe, the surname is most likely to be found in countries with sizable Jewish populations. This includes countries such as Germany, Poland, Romania, and Hungary, as well as smaller Jewish communities in places like Lithuania and Austria.
Given its relative rarity, it is safe to say that the surname Turgel is no longer very common worldwide, but can still be found in places where Jews have been living for centuries.
Variations of the surname Turgel
The surname Turgel has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant is Türgel, which originated from the Germanic era. Other variants include Thürgel, Thurgel, Thürgle, Thürggle, and Thürgle. Other spellings of the surname include Thurgil, Turkel, and Thyurgel.
Turgel is a patronymic name that derived from the given name Turgot. This given name likely originated from the Germanic element “turigo”, meaning force or strength. The modern surname is also very common in the United States.
The patronymic Tersley is another variant of Turgel, originating in England. Another variant, Thirkell, is derived from the French name Thierry, meaning “ruler of the people”. Thiekel is an alternate spelling of this variant, which is common in parts of Europe and the United States.
Other variants of Turgel include Turchil, Torshel, Turgill, Thurgill, Thurgel, Turgoll, Tirkil, and Turgole. This surname is also found as Turgeon, which is a French Canadian variation of Turgel.
Turgel is also a common Jewish surname, originating in the regions of Eastern Europe such as Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. This surname is often spelled as Turgelis, Turchil, Turglis, and Targel.
In summary, the surname Turgel has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The variants and spellings vary depending on the region, but the most common spellings are Türgel, Thürgel, Tersley, Thirkel, Thiekel, and Turgeon.
Famous people with the name Turgel
- Eliyahu Turgel: British World War II survivor of the Holocaust, who was saved as part of the Kindertransport
- Yigal Turgel: Israeli professional footballer
- Shlomo Turgel: Israeli composer, conductor and musical director
- Yitzhak Turgel: Israeli sculptor
- Dmitry Turgel: Russian ice hockey player
- Fuad Turgel: Syrian human rights activist
- Michel Turgel: Belgian-born Israeli businessman
- Laurent Turgel: French ceramic artist
- Pinchas Turgel: Israeli conductor
- Nicolas Turgel: French rabbi and translator