Surname Pagels - Meaning and Origin

Pagels: What does the surname Pagels mean?

The last name Pagels is the anglicized spelling of the German surname Pfahles. It is a habitational name, originating from a place-name near Ebern in lower Franconia, such as Pfahlenhof, Pfahles, or Pfähles. The name likely derived from the old German word 'pfal', which indicated a small area of wooded land. The suffix '-hals' was a German variant of 'holz', the German word for wood.

The Pagels surname came to the United States with German immigrants in the 19th century. It is still heavily concentrated in the Upper Midwest, in cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. These regions were popular destinations for German immigrants due to the already established German communities.

The Pagels family maintained strong links to their original homeland and have contributed to German politics. Hans Pagels was a prominent socialist publisher in Germany in the 1880s and his son Peter Heinrich Pagels a German politician who served in the Reichstag from 1918-1920.

Since then, the family has acquired a proud history and the Pagels name has become associated with success and high achievement. Renowned physicist Heinz Pagels, a recipient of the National Academy of Sciences award, is among the many Pagels family members who have gone on to reach great accomplishments.

Pagels: Where does the name Pagels come from?

The last name Pagels is most commonly found in Germany. It is a variation of the surname Pagel, which originated as an occupational name for a peasant farmer. The variations of the name found in Germany, such as Pägel, Pagel, Pageler, and Pagl, date back to the Middle Ages when the practice of hereditary surnames began. The name is also found in the Netherlands, the United States, and other parts of Europe including France, Austria, and Switzerland.

In the United States, the Pagels surname can be found in many states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and California. The largest concentration of the surname in the United States is located in the Upper Midwest states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 519 individuals with this surname living in the United States.

In Germany, the current population of people with the Pagels surname is estimated to be four thousand. The German city with the most persons with the last name Pagels is Schwäbisch Hall. The name can also be found in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where the largest concentrations are located in the cities of Stuttgart and Heidelberg.

In the Netherlands, the highest concentration of the surname Pagels is found mainly in the province of SEL, where the surname is listed as the 47th most common surname.

Overall, the last name Pagels is most commonly found in Germany, although its variations exist elsewhere in the United States, in the Netherlands, and in other European countries.

Variations of the surname Pagels

Pagels is an uncommon surname of German origin. Possible spelling variants and alternative surnames include Pagel, Pagle, Pagola, Pachels, Packels, Packles, Pagels, Peagles and Pegals.

The spelling variant Pagel is derived from the Germanic personal name ‘Pagal’, which is composed of the Germanic elements ‘pag’ (“pak”, “paak”) and ‘hal’ (“hald”, “heald” , ‘”power”) and hence means “powerful one”.

The spelling variant Pagle is an Anglicised form of the German surname “Pagel”, while Pagola is a variant of the Italian surname “Paglia” which translates to “straw”.

Pachels is an Americanized version of the German surname “Pagel”, and Packels is believed to be a modernized version of the German surname “Pagel”. Packles is an uncommon variant of Pachels and Pagels, while Peagles is a more uncommon spelling variant of Pagels.

Finally, Pegals is an alternative version of the German surname “Pagel” with French roots, denoting someone from “Pagel” in France.

Famous people with the name Pagels

• Heinz Pagels: American physicist, educator, and advocate for social justice.
• Richard Pagels: American philosopher, historian of science, and academic director.
• David Paganel: Catalan contemporary artist.
• Anthony Pagels: American professional snowboarder and BASE jumper.
• Susan Pagels: American author, editor, and essayist.
• Larry Pagels: American music producer, audio engineer, record executive, and songwriter.
• Joanna Pagels: American television and film actress.
• Julius Pagels: German auctioneer and horse breeder.
• Gustav Pagels: German composer and conductor.
• Mark Pagels: German cycling coach and former cyclist.
• Jochen Pagels: German television producer, screenwriter, director, and actor.
• John Pagels: American baseball player and coach.
• Erwin Pagels: German Olympic boxer.
• Howard Pagels: American football coach and college athletics administrator.
• Jeff Pagels: American cartoonist.
• Brook Pagels: American computer games designer and game developer.
• Emmy Pagels: German film director and screenwriter.
• Charles Pagels: American high school teacher, coach, and athletic director.
• Inge Pagels: German literary scholar, translator, and author.
• Basil Pagels: German actor, director, and theatrical designer.

Other surnames

PagelPageler