Surname Foelckel - Meaning and Origin
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Foelckel: What does the surname Foelckel mean?
The surname Foelckel is of German origin, stemming from the Middle High German word "Fölkel", meaning "a fowler" or a gamekeeper. It is a job title that traditionally refers to a hunter whose profession is to capture, supply, and maintain various types of wild birds such as ducks, geese, quail, and pheasants for hunters.
The surname itself likely began being used to describe a person of this occupation, in medieval Germany. As the trade of the gamekeeper became more important so did the need to document it, hence the creation of the surname.
Over the centuries the surname has spread throughout Europe and the British Isles, with variations in spelling being adopted as families moved and languages changed. The variation of the spelling is substantial and can be seen in how it has evolved into its current form of "Foelckel".
The surname Foelckel is somewhat uncommon but still used today, mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. Those with this surname likely have an interesting story to tell on how their family made it here from Europe. In today's society, the surname still maintains its original meaning of a gamekeeper and is often passed from generation to generation.
Order DNA origin analysisFoelckel: Where does the name Foelckel come from?
The Foelckel surname is most common in Germany, particularly in the western region of Baden-Wurttemberg in southwestern Germany, as well as nearby regions in neighboring Austria and Switzerland. The name is derived from the German "Völkel," which is thought to have been derived from the Latin word "folculus," originally referring to a small stream or brook.
The Foelckel surname is also found in France, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg, likely brought by immigrants who left Germany in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The United States also sees Foelckel surnames, primarily from those who arrived in the 19th century and throughout the first half of the 20th century.
Foelckel is a relatively uncommon surname today, but it continues to be found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. In Germany, the name is primarily found in the western region—especially Baden-Wurttemberg—but can also be found in other regions of Germany, closest to its original roots.
Variations of the surname Foelckel
The surname Foelckel has numerous variations and spellings based on its original German or Dutch origin. The most common variant spellings are “Folckel”, “Folckle”, “Foelckle”, “Foelkel”, “Foelckl”, and “Foekel.” In other variations, the spelling includes “Voelkel”, “Voelckel”, “Voelckle” and “Voekel.”
The Foelckel name is ultimately derived from the Old German word "folc" or "folke," which may refer to people or a nation. Some experts believe the name evolved as a shortened form of "folcari," which means "peasant farmer," or a variation of "Vogel," a German word for "bird."
The Foelckel surname is also connected with the Germanic "volk," which means "people," as well as several related Dutch surnames, such as Voelkel, Voelckel, and Voelckle, and variants including Foekel or Foeckle. As a result, many variations of the Foelckel surname can be found in England, North America, Germany, and throughout Europe.
The surnames Folckle, Foelckel, and Völkel are sometimes found in combination with various prefixes such as von, van, de, and ter, creating numerous additional variants, such as Van Foelckel, Von Foelckel, De Foelckel, and Ter Foelckel.
References
- Foelckel, Surname Meaning & Statistics (https://forebears.io/surnames/foelckel).
- Foelckel Family History (https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=foelckel).
- Foelckel Name Meaning & Origin (https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=foelckel).
Famous people with the name Foelckel
- Arnaud Foelckel: Professional French Basketball player, who currently plays for Limoges CSP in the French ProA League.
- Paul Foelckel: German rower, who won a gold medal in double sculls at the 2006 World Rowing Championships.
- Vinciane Foelckel: Belgian archer who competed in the soft compound bow event at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Rodrigue Foelckel: French high jump athlete, who was known for personal best record of 2 meters 25 in 1999.
- Guillaume Foelckel: Belgian football (soccer) player, who currently plays for Oud-Heverlee Leuven in the Belgian First Division B league.
- Jacques Foelckel: Belgian football (soccer) player, who played for Lierse S.K. in the Belgian First Division A league from 1998 to 2000.
- Roman Foelckel: Austrian ski jumper, who competed at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer.
- Arno Foelckel: Austrian football (soccer) player, who played for FC Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga from 2009 to 2013.
- Felix Foelckel: German skeleton athlete, who won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
- Julien Foelckel: French ice hockey player, who currently plays for EV Zug in the Swiss National League A.