Surname Berghanel - Meaning and Origin
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Berghanel: What does the surname Berghanel mean?
The last name Berghanel is believed to be of French origin, taken from the Middle French word 'bergamant', meaning 'yarn merchant'. It is thought that the Berghanel surname indicates a family heritage of Thread sellers or sellers of fine garments made from cloth.
The earliest known use of the surname is in the village of Bercheny in the Aisne region of northern France. This is where the earliest known record of this family is found in the census of 1740, with a Jacques Berghanel listed at the head of the household.
This is likely to be the origin of this name in France, however it may have first come to prominence through the travels of members of the family, such as the military exploits of Blaise Berghanel, who fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
The last name Berghanel is also sometimes spelled with an 'H' at the end. Over time, this variation of the surname has become part of the family's legacy and can be found in records across France and other countries around the world.
Regardless of spelling, the Berghanel family carries a French heritage of traders, merchants and experts in fabrics and fine garments, indicating a unique and complex history stretching back hundreds of years.
Order DNA origin analysisBerghanel: Where does the name Berghanel come from?
The last name Berghanel is most commonly found in Algeria, especially in the western and northern parts of the country. It is also found in France, likely as a result of emigration from Algeria during times of unrest in the mid-1900s. Additionally, there are some documented cases of the Berghanel surname found in America, as well as a small community of Berghanels in Israel.
Due to the expulsion of Jews from parts of the Middle East where they have been living for generations, many of the Berghanels living in Algeria had to flee. Consequently, the Berghanel surname has been dispersed throughout the world. To this day, Algerian Berghanel family members have established Berghanel communities in spaces such as Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Montreal.
In Algeria, the Berghanel surname is sometimes written as the variation Barghanla or Barghanel. This surname is one of the few Jewish names that are still recognized and used in the country. Consequently, it has been handed down from generation to generation, and many of the Berghanel families that exist today can trace their heritage to ancestors who lived in Algeria. Although the Berghanel surname is quite rare, its presence is still felt in Algeria and around the world.
Variations of the surname Berghanel
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Berghanel can be numerous but some include Berghannel, Bergenheil, Bürghennel, Burhennel, Berghagnel, Bergeneel, Bergenheel, Burghennel, and Burhenel. These different spellings of the Berghanel surname stem from spelling variations on original Germanic surnames and Dutch-language surnames. As such, while the name could have originated in either country, its ultimate roots likely change from family to family.
With regards to its origin, the surname Berghanel first appears in German records from the 1700s and in the Netherlands around the mid-1800s. As surnames became more commonplace, locals found it useful to differentiate between otherwise similar surnames by slightly altering the spelling. This ultimately resulted in a number of different ways of spelling Berghanel.
These spellings also found their way to America when German immigrants of the 1800s and Dutch settlers of slightly later origin arrived in the country. Here, the numerous spellings of the same name were further muddied as bulky surname was Americanized through misspellings or alterations done in the immigration and naturalization process.
As such, the many different variants and spellings of Berghanel found today—each representing a certain branch of the same family tree—are ultimately linked back to the same place of origin.
Famous people with the name Berghanel
- John Berghanel: a British sports commentator and journalist covering Premier League football.
- David Berghanel: a Scottish poet, author and playwright.
- Catherine Berghanel: a French botanist who was a leading expert in flower and fruit plants.
- Henri Berghanel: a French singer, dancer and actor of popular 20th century shows that toured in the US.
- Kevin Berghanel: a British film director and editor of many soap operas and TV shows.
- Martha Berghanel: a German opera singer of the late nineteenth century.
- Ruth Berghanel: an American writer known for her work in science fiction and fantasy.
- Ella Berghanel: an Australian painter, jewelry maker and metalsmith.
- Albert Berghanel: an Austrian bowmaker of the 19th century.
- André Berghanel: an Argentinian financier and professor of finance at the University of Buenos Aires.