Surname Böhnel - Meaning and Origin
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Böhnel: What does the surname Böhnel mean?
Böhnel is a German surname that likely originates from the Middle High German word "honnel", meaning "stubblefield" or "grazing ground". This indicates that the family who bore this name likely worked as agricultural laborers. The suffix "-el" in the name can also indicate diminutive forms of certain names, though it is also used as a patronymic ending. Therefore, Böhnel may also refer to a specific person who worked in agriculture, as a nickname or sign of endearment.
The Böhnel family has been found primarily in Germany at various times, suggesting that it has been concentrated there throughout its history. In the 19th century, many members of the Böhnel family emigrated to the United States, particularly in the states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
More recently, people with the Böhnel surname can be found in Germany, the United States, as well as other parts of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. It is likely that the family has spread through international migration, as well as through intermarriage with other German families.
Today, the Böhnel name is a common one in German speaking countries. It is likely that the family history of this surname still holds significance and importance to those who share it, as well as providing an interesting insight into the history of Germany and its people.
Order DNA origin analysisBöhnel: Where does the name Böhnel come from?
The last name Böhnel is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The surnames that are the most prevalent in Germany are Müller, Schmidt, and Schulz, but Böhnel still ranks in the top 100 of common surnames.
The root of the name Böhnel can be linked back to the old German word "böhnen" which means "ditch-digger". This surname was likely initially held by a profession-based hereditary surname, meaning a person who was a ditch-digger by profession would have passed the name to his family.
Böhnel is a fairly typical German name, beginning with the von, which is attached to the start of many old German names. It is a patronymic surname, meaning that it originated from the first name of the father (Böhn-). The ending -el was, and still is, fairly common in many German surnames.
Due to emigration from Europe to the US, Canada and other places in the 19th and early 20th century, there are some Böhnels in countries outside of German-speaking countries. In the United States, many Germans traveled to Pennsylvania and have surnames beginning with von Böhnel. There are also some occurrences in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
Overall, the commonness of the name Böhnel varies by location, but in general it is most prominent in German-speaking countries.
Variations of the surname Böhnel
The surname Böhnel is a German surname that originated mainly in the early medieval times. It is derived from the word 'bühnel', which is an Old German word meaning 'hut'. The variants, spellings and surnames that are derived from the same origin are Behnel, Bienel, Buenel, Bühnel, Buhlein, Buenle and Baehnel.
Behnal is the most common form of the surname and is derived from the medieval dialect of Lower Bavaria. It is used primarily in western and central regions of Germany, but is found in other countries as well. The use of Buenel is more closely related to the pronunciation of the word 'hut' in the High German dialect of the Middle Ages. The spelling has sometimes been corrupted to Bienel or Bienel.
The surname Buhlein is most likely of Low German origin, while Bühnel is likely derived from the German-speaking regions of Bavaria. It is believed that the surname Buenle may have been a surname of a family from Switzerland or Austria. Finally, the surname Baehnel is a patronymic name derived from the forename Behl or Baehl.
Overall, the surname Böhnel is a German surname that has an intriguing origin and a range of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. It is used mainly in the western and central regions of Germany, as well as in countries such as Austria and Switzerland.
Famous people with the name Böhnel
- Hans Böhnel (1909-1963), German jurist and politician
- Anne Böhnel (born 1997), German tv actress and presenter
- Monika Böhnel (1926-1998), German politician
- Joanna Böhnel (born 1961), Austrian actress
- Leonardo Böhnel (born 1993), German football player
- Ernst Böhnel (1914-1996), German theater director
- Herbert Böhnel (1900-1979), German dance director
- Susanne Böhnel (born 1958), German figure skater
- Joanna Böhnel (born 1962), German photographer
- Helmut Böhnel (1907-2001), German painter and graphic artist