Surname Mentzel - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Mentzel: What does the surname Mentzel mean?
The last name Mentzel is of German origin. It derives from the German word "Mentz" which is a name for a person from the city of Mainz. The suffix "el" is a diminutive form which expresses possession or ownership of a place. Thus, the name Mentzel denotes a person who is from Mainz.
In German, Mentzel is a popular surname. It is most common in Germany, Austria, Holland, and the United States. In particular, Mentzel has a long history in the state of Pennsylvania, as it was one of the many German-derived family names listed in the Pennsylvania German Church Record of 1729.
People with the last name Mentzel are believed to be hardworking and have a great sense of family values. They also tend to be independent, resourceful and creative.
The Mentzel surname is particularly interesting as it can change its form, depending on the culture that it is taken from. For example, in some parts of Europe, the name is spelled Mentzel, whereas in the United States, it could be written Mentzell.
No matter what the spelling, Mentzel is an interesting surname which has a rich and varied history that has been passed down through generations of family members.
Order DNA origin analysisMentzel: Where does the name Mentzel come from?
The surname Mentzel is most common today in northern Germany, specifically the states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The surname originated from the medieval German Männzel, meaning "little man," which suggests it first developed as a nickname. Mentzel is a rare surname, though the spelling variations Meentzel and Mantzel may be more common.
In the United States, people with the surname Mentzel are most heavily concentrated in the Midwest, particularly Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. The earliest records of the surname in the United States date back to 1868 in Michigan.
The Mentzel family has spread across the world in recent years. Mentzels can be found in places such as Australia, Canada, and South Africa. There are also people with the surname living in the United Kingdom, particularly in England, where County Durham and Lancashire have the highest concentration of people bearing the name.
Overall, Mentzel is a rare name, meaning most of those bearing it today are likely related in some way. It is likely that many of these families trace their origins back to the same central geographical source, having spread across the world in recent centuries.
Variations of the surname Mentzel
The surname Mentzel is a German patronymic surname that is derived from the given name Mentzel. It has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Mendel, Mendell, Menzel, Mandel, Menzel, Mendzl, Meendel, and more. Each of these surnames is derived from the Low German word ‘Mentzel’, which is a pet form of the name Mentzo or Mitzo.
The most common variant of Mentzel is Mendel, which is the spelling that is used most often in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. This form of the name is also very popular in the North American Jewish population. The spelling Menzel is found mainly in Germany and Austria, while Mandel is mainly used in German-speaking Switzerland. The spelling Mendzl is used in German-speaking Eastern Europe.
Meendel is an older variant of the spelling Menzel and is still seen in Germany and in German-speaking countries. This variant of Mentzel is more common among Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe. Since the 1800s, the spelling Mendell has become popular in the United States and Canada.
In summary, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Mentzel, including Mendel, Mendell, Menzel, Mandel, Menzel, Mendzl, and Meendel. Each of these variants is derived from the Low German word ‘Mentzel’, which is a pet form of the name Mentzo or Mitzo.
Famous people with the name Mentzel
- Christian Mentzel: German singer-songwriter and music producer.
- Alfred Mentzel: a German psychiatrist and neurologist.
- Emilia Mentzel: German actress.
- Marcus Mentzel: German painter and graphic artist.
- Richard Mentzel: German stage actor.
- Franz Mentzel: German teacher and member of the German Freethinkers Association.
- Adolph Mentzel: German philologist and historian.
- Ernest Julius Mentzel: American politician and Civil War veteran.
- Paul Mentzel: German-American woodworker.
- August Johann Mentzel: German poet, playwright and dramatist.