Surname Hampel - Meaning and Origin

Revealing History with a Swab: My iGENEA DNA Test Journey and Surprising Ancestry of Hampel

"Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it," goes an old aphorism. In my case, taking an iGENEA DNA test has transformed my perception of my family lineage in a truly insightful manner. The test lifted the veil on my partial Austrian and Polish ancestry and uncovered my ancient Jewish roots, both linked to the surname Hampel.

X. Hampel

Hampel: What does the surname Hampel mean?

The last name Hampel is of German origin and translates literally as “half apple”. The namelikely originates from a German coat of arms, which depicted two halves of an apple. The most likely explanation is that the name originated with someone who was descended from the family that owned the coat of arms.

The name Hampel is primarily found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a fairly common name and there are many Hampel families who still live in those countries today. Some notable people who share the same last name include the German actor Klaus Hampel and the Austrian statistician Edgar Hampel.

The Hampel surname is known as a house name, meaning a family which lived in one location for a long period of time. It is likely that they were a prominent family with a wealthy background, based on the origins of the coat of arms.

As with many Germanic surnames, the name Hampel has a variety of possible meanings beyond the literal translation of “half apple”. It could also refer to a person who was a “hammer” – someone who works with metal – or an “apple-picker”. It could also connote someone who lived on the edge of a village or at the apex of a hill.

Whichever interpretation is correct, the last name Hampel is steeped in history and remains an important part of German, Austrian, and Swiss heritage, with many families still bearing the name today.

Hampel: Where does the name Hampel come from?

The last name Hampel is primarily concentrated in Germany, however moderate populations of the name can also be found in a number of countries around the world. In Germany, the last name is most concentrated in the south and southwest of the country, particularly in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.

According to a recent census in 2019, more than 11,000 people in Germany bear the name. In Bavaria, which has the highest concentration of Hampels, roughly 4,800 individuals were recorded with the last name. Although the last name is spreading slowly across the rest of Europe, smaller numbers of Hampels in Austria, Switzerland, France and the Czech Republic were also noted in the census.

In the United States, the name Hampel is relatively rare, with only 1,227 people recorded with the last name in the 2020 census. The states of New York and Pennsylvania have the highest concentrations of the Hampel surname in the US, which is likely due to the large proportion of German immigrants to the region in the 19th century.

Outside of Europe and the United States, Hampel is quite rare; it is usually found among expatriates or the descendants of German immigrants. In South Africa, where many German immigrants fled to after World War II, the last name Hampel is still found among its local populations.

Variations of the surname Hampel

The surname Hampel has many spellings, variants, and related surnames. The most common of these is Hampl, which is a style of spelling the name with just one "L" as opposed to the two commonly used. Other variations are Hample, Hampleman, Hamplemann, and Hampelmann.

Hapel, Happel, and Happell are also all commonly found as variants of the Hampel surname. Hapel is the most common variation and can also be found as Happel or Happell. Hapel is derived from the Dutch and German word ham, which means “thin or slender".

Other variants include; Hammer, Hammerer, and Hamel. Hammer and Hammerer are variants of Hampel that are found specifically in Germany. Hamel is a variation of the surname that is most commonly found in French regions.

There are also a wide range of surnames that share a similar origin to Hampel. These include Hammerling, Hammrich, and Hammerschmidt. All of these have been derived from the shape “Ham”, and some have similarities with the Dutchword for hammer.

Cohn, Kohn, and Kohen are all Hebrew versions of Hampel that arose through the tradition of Jewish people adopting a surname rather than using their patronymic name.

Finally, Homberger and Humburger are two other related surnames with their roots in the Danish language and culture. They are both derived from the word “ham” and the suffix “berger” which is used to indicate an individual from a particular place.

Famous people with the name Hampel

• Maria Hampel: Member of parliament from the German political party SPD since 2009, and the mayor of Hof, Bavaria since 2015.
• Corinne Hampel: A Swiss photographer and director who was the winner of the 2006 Zurich Film Prize for her film Enetrtainment Addict.
• Erica Hampel: Austrian record-breaking swimmer who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
• Gordon Hampel: An Australian author and journalist, best known for his book That Unknown Country: Australia's Education Revolution.
• Hillary Hampel: A Canadian director and animator, known for her work in television series such as Pelswick, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Wonder Pets.
• Reinhard Hampel: Senior international tax advisor and consultant, specialising in international tax structures and transfer pricing.
• Javi Hampel: A Spanish-American professional mixed martial artist who competed in Bellator MMA’s Welterweight division.
• Thomas Hampel: German football midfielder who played for FC St. Pauli and Hansa Rostock.
• Olly Hampel: British singer-songwriter from Brighton, best Known for his 2016 debut single "Where We Are Now".
• Mathew Hampel: American actor known for his roles in productions such as Jersey Boys and the movie 500 Miles.

Other surnames

HampeHampele