Surname Fränzel - Meaning and Origin
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Fränzel: What does the surname Fränzel mean?
The last name Fränzel is of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin, and can be either a variant of Franz or an independent given name. It is derived from the Medieval German given name Franz, an abbreviation of Friderik, which means "peaceful ruler".
The surname Fränzel initially began as a nickname given to someone likely named Franz or Friderik by their peers. It began being used as a last name in the late 18th century or early 19th century, as surnames began to gain more widespread acceptance.
Today, there are more than one thousand occurrences of the Fränzel surname in German records. As the family name spread to other countries, it was often Americanized into French and Frentzel, among other variations.
The Fränzel surname today is usually associated with individuals of German or Jewish heritage. It is a reminder of one's past and of the importance of family. With its positive connotations of peace and resilience, many people have adopted this name to signify a new beginning for their families.
Order DNA origin analysisFränzel: Where does the name Fränzel come from?
The last name Fränzel is common today mostly in Germany, Austria, and other surrounding countries in Central Europe, as well as the United States.
This surname is believed to have originated with the Franks, a Germanic people who lived in the area during the Middle Ages. The word franz means "bold", which is likely what the family got its name from. Through the years, the spelling of the name changed, but it has retained its German origin.
In Germany today, the Fränzel name is most commonly found in the northeastern and southwestern regions, such as in Brandenburg, Thuringia, Saxony, and Bavaria.
In Poland and the Czech Republic, the surname is most likely to originate from Przemysl, which was a city where many Jewish families lived before World War II.
In Austria, Fränzel is most common in Burgenland, but it is also found in Carinthia, Lower Austria, and Styria.
In the United States, this name is concentrated in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania, and is mostly found among the descendants of Germanic immigrants.
Overall, Fränzel is still a relatively uncommon name today, but its Germanic origin gives us a glimpse into its past.
Variations of the surname Fränzel
The surname Fränzel has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Frantz, Frans, Franzel, Franck, Franjes, Fransz, Francz, Frizze, Frese, Franse, Freitag, and Freisman. It is also believed that the name may have originated from the South German Franconian dialectal form “Fraelz”.
The people with these surnames originated from Franconia, an area in the north of Bavaria in Germany. The name is derived from a Germanic personal name Fronzo, which means a “protector”. It is believed to have been introduced into Germany by invading Frankish tribes in the fifth century.
The name then spread throughout Germany throughout the Middle Ages and further afield. It was particularly common in the former French province of Alsace, where it appears as Frese, Freze, Frantz, and Frelze.
Elsewhere, Fränzel can be found as Francz in Austria and the Czech Republic, Frans in the Netherlands, Fransz in Luxembourg, Frizze and Freisman in Russia, and Franjes in Romania.
In the United States, some of the spellings found areFrankel, Franck, Frantzel, Frantz, and Franzel.
The origin of the surname is derived from the medieval occupation of a Freedman or a Freyman, a term known as “frizzling” and referred to a landowning class of citizens.
Today, Fränzel is a relatively common surname in Germany, the United States, and some countries in Europe.
Famous people with the name Fränzel
- Johanna Fränzel: a German-born filmmaker and photographer
- Louis Fränzel: a German TV editor and producer
- Carolina Fränzel: a German-Austrian travel writer
- Sonny Fränzel: an American musician and producer
- Jürgen Fränzel: a German actor
- Rudi Fränzel: a former German football goalkeeper
- Johann Fränzel: a German Catholic theologian and writer
- Armin Fränzel: a former German footballer
- Karl Fränzel: a former German boxer
- Georg Fränzel: a German actor and director