Negel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Germany

Etymology of Negel

The surname Negel is a German occupational surname that evolved in the region known as the Rhineland. Germans at first used only one name, but population growth and increased travel in medieval times caused confusion between people of the same name, forcing the people to adopt hereditary surnames. These names often identified people by the kind of work they did. Negel is a name for a carpenter, builder or a person who made or sold nails. The name Negel is derived from the Old German word "nagal," which means "nail." There are also numerous places named Nagel in Germany.

Early Origins of the Negel family

Early History of the Negel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Negel research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1224, 1451, 1562, 1649, 1769, 1773, 1836 and 1851 are included under the topic Early Negel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Negel Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Negel include Nagel, Nagle, Naegel, Nageli, Naegeli, Nagell, Nagler, Nagele, Naegele, Naegelen, Negel, Negele, Nail, Neil and many more.

Early Notables of the Negel family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Negel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Negel family

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Negel, or one of its variants above: Jacob Nagel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1730. Heinrich Nagele came to Philadelphia in 1754; while Heinrich Nageli settled in Carolina in 1742.