Surname Nagel - Meaning and Origin
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Emotional Voyage of Self-Discovery Through iGENEA DNA Test: Unravelling the Nagel Narrative
Taking a DNA test with iGENEA was an emotional tour de force, presenting a new narrative of family history connecting me to Jewish ancestry under the surname Nagel. This experience instilled a renewed respect for my surname and changed my views on my family and personal identity.
F. Nagel
read moreNagel: What does the surname Nagel mean?
The last name Nagel is of German origin and primarily means "nail" in English. This surname could have been occupational, either for a nail maker or for someone who used nails in their trade, such as a builder or a carpenter. Alternatively, Nagel could have been a topographic name for someone living by a noticeable nail-shaped geographical feature or a particular nail-shaped object. It's also possible that Nagel was a nickname attributed to a person known for being as tough as nails. Therefore, the surname might reflect the profession, location, or personality trait of an ancestor bearing the last name Nagel.
Order DNA origin analysisNagel: Where does the name Nagel come from?
The surname Nagel is most common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but it can also be found in other parts of Europe and the world. In Germany, the surname is widespread across all regions, with the largest concentrations in the western states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Wuerttemberg. The surname is also fairly common in Austria, with its highest concentration located in the southern states of Styria and Carinthia. In Switzerland, it can be found particularly among the German-speaking population in the north-eastern cantons of Thurgau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, and Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
In the United States, the surname Nagel has German and Dutch origins and is most commonly found in the Midwest, with Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota having the highest concentration of the surname. Expatriate Germans and Dutch carrying the surname can also be found in other states and cities around the country. In New Zealand, the surname can be found particularly among South African expatriates. In France, the surname is most common in the Alsace region and in the city of Paris.
In the rest of the world, expatriates carrying the surname can also be found in Canada, Australia, South Africa, and other countries.
Variations of the surname Nagel
The surname Nagel is a German surname derived from the medieval given name ‘Nagel’, meaning ‘nail’. Over the centuries, the surname of Nagel has spread around the world, with various spelling variations cropping up. Some of these variants include Nägel, Nageles, Nagell, Nagels, Naggel, Nagells, Nagle, and Negel, to name a few.
In addition to spelling variations, the surname Nagel has also mutated into separate surnames over time. In Germany, surnames derived from Nagel include Nageler, Nagelhofer, and Nagelmann, with the prefixes -er, -hofer, and -mann being added to denote a person’s origin or occupation. In the Netherlands, the surname Nagelmann evolved further into the surnames Nagelmaeker and Nagelmaker. In Spain, the surname Nagel evolved into Nages, a variation still used today.
In the United States, the surname Nagel has also mutated. Many of the descendants of the original German immigrants to America adopted the spelling variations of Nagel, such as Nail, Neagle, Neel and Neill. Similarly, in Canada, many descendants adopted the new spellings of Nagel, such as Neagle, Neall, Neel, Neil and Neilson.
In Austria, the surname Nagel mutated into Nagler, with variants including Nagler, Nagger, Nagula, Nagla, and Nagalo. While in Eastern Europe, the surname Nagel mutated into Nogał, with variants including Nogała and Nogały.
There are also various hyphenated forms of the surname Nagel, such as Nagel-Posbert, Nagel-Heineking, and Nagel-Holstein, all of which stem from ancient family connections between multiple German families.
Overall, the variations of the surname Nagel are numerous and may be related to the original spelling, or to the location of the family, with each country having its own variants.
Famous people with the name Nagel
- Paul Nagel: American historian best known for studying Southern history, especially the Old South
- Bruce Nagel: American attorney specializing in personal injury and aviation law
- John Nagel: Major League Baseball first baseman
- Frederick J. Nagel: German-American major general who served in the United States Air Force
- Duncan Nagel: first president of the American Association of University Professors
- Edward Nagel: American entomologist and ornithologist
- Stefan Nagel: German composer
- Angela Nagel: American author and editor, best known for her bookKill All Normies
- SidonieLeroy-Nagel: Mid-19th-century French writer and journalist
- AugusteNagel: 19th-century French illustrator and engraver