Surname Winkel - Meaning and Origin
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Evolving Perspectives of Personal Identity and Heritage: The Power of Surname Winkel Unveiled Through iGENEA DNA Test
Unraveling my ancestry through the iGENEA DNA test has significantly influenced my understanding of personal identity and heritage, painting a clearer picture of my lineage and enhancing the meaning of my surname, Winkel.
K. Winkel
read moreWinkel: What does the surname Winkel mean?
The last name Winkel is of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word “winkel” meaning “corner,” “bend,” or “angle.” This is likely a reference to the topography or landscape of the original ancestral home of the family, or, to living in or on the corner of a sharp bend in a road, on a corner lot of a city block, or in an area with many angling roadways and waterways.
In Germany, the surname Winkel is most common in the northern states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Niedersachsen, and Lower Saxony. It is also frequently found in Dutch-speaking regions near the North Sea and in the Dutch province of Limburg.
In the United States, the surname Winkel is concentrated in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota, which have large populations of German immigrants.
The Winkel family has a long history in Germanic regions, though many descendants of the original family have now spread around the world. Whether studying the locales where the name is most common or examining the vast lore, records, and artifacts left behind, the Winkel family’s history will remain an interesting and rewarding part of anyone’s exploration of family heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisWinkel: Where does the name Winkel come from?
The last name Winkel is of German origin and is most commonly found today in Germany. German surnames often derived from places of origin, occupation, personal traits, or features of a landscape. In the case of Winkel, the surname likely derived from a locality with a bend or corner. Today, the Winkel surname is among the top 300 most common surnames in Germany.
In the United States, Winkel is not a common surname. However, there are some prominent historically German-American Winkels, such as the Winkel family of Pennsylvania. Other notorieties include the soldier John Winkel, who received the Medal of Honor for his service to the nation, as well as the scholar and theologian Hermann Winkel, who was an internationally renowned expert on the New Testament.
Many smaller and scattered Winkel communities can be found beyond Germany and the United States. In the Netherlands, Winkel is among the twenty most common surnames. Winkel can also be found in Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Though not common in the United States, the Winkel name can still be found scattered throughout the world, primarily in Germanic countries.
Variations of the surname Winkel
The surname Winkel is derived from the German and Dutch word for "corner", "angle", and “market”. It is a common surname in both countries and is found in various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
In Germany, variants of Winkel include Winkl, Winkle, Winkell, Winkele, Winklel, and Winkler. Surnames of the same origin derived from Winkel include Winkelhofer, Winkler, Winkeler, Winkelmann, Winklermann, and Winkelmann.
In the Netherlands, variants of Winkel include Van Winkel, Winkelaar, Winkelman, Winkelmans, Winkels, Van der Winkel, Van der Winkelaar, and Winkelaar. Surnames of the same origin derived from Winkel include Van Winkle, Van der Winkel, Van Winkelaar, Van der Winkelaar, and Winkleman.
In other countries, surnames derived from the surnames Winkel and Winkler are also found. In Denmark and Sweden one might find variants such as Ventzel and Winkelhag, respectively. In other countries/regions, spellings include Winkle, Wencke, Winklemann.
Overall, there are often many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin related to the surname Winkel. This is because the surname has spread to many areas and variations were developed based on local dialects. The above is just a few of the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Winkel.
Famous people with the name Winkel
- Tanja Winkel: German dressage rider;
- Ben Winkel: American politician;
- Maëlle Winkel: French actress;
- Kurt Winkel: German bobsledder;
- Johannes Winkel: Dutch footballer;
- Nico Winkel: Dutch footballer;
- Jules Winkel: Belgian entrepreneur;
- Christian Winkel: German wrestler;
- Amie Winkel: American diver;
- Willem Winkel: Dutch political artist.