Surname Lempel - Meaning and Origin

Lempel: What does the surname Lempel mean?

The last name Lempel is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "limpf" or "lempfel", which means "person living in a lawless area who could not be subject to a lord or who was free from any form of servitude". This may have been a reference to a wandering knight or privateer who took advantage of the lack of a strict legal system in certain areas.

During the Middle Ages, the Lempels were likely amongst those who established settlements in the then sparsely populated areas of Germany, something that eventually helped define the German states. In fact, the city of Lempelsburg in West Prussia was named after them. The Lempels were likely highly-respected members of their local community, and are believed to have been tradesmen or merchants who achieved success and respect in the medieval period.

Today, the Lempel surname is most common in Germany. However, it is also found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Austria, and the Netherlands. People with this surname could be found in a variety of occupations including scholars, priests, seafarers, and printers. Some of the most famous people with the Lempel surname are the historians Ralf and Heinz Lempel, the Israeli entrepreneur Aharon Lempel, and the Olympic rugby player Tilman Lempel.

Lempel: Where does the name Lempel come from?

The surname Lempel is most commonly found in Eastern Europe, primarily in Ukraine and Belarus. Roughly a third of all Ukrainian Jews bearing the name are found in these two countries, with smaller populations also present in Germany, Russia, Poland, France, and the United States.

Though the Lempel surname can be traced back to Biblical times, it gained prominence as a Jewish name after the period of the Expulsion from Spain in 1492. During this period, Jews were driven from the Iberian Peninsula with many fleeing east to Ukraine and Belarus to settle in Ashkenazim communities.

Today, the Lempel name can be found among descendants of these families in countries across the world. Many Jews bearing the name can also be found in countries such as Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, all of which have vibrant Jewish communities resulting from immigration from Eastern Europe.

The prevalence of the Lempel surname has decreased somewhat due to the diaspora as well as intermarriage, assimilation, and change in surname. Still, members of the Lempel family can be found in various countries across the world, bearing witness to the Jewish experience and the resilience of the Jewish spirit for generations.

Variations of the surname Lempel

The Lempel surname is derived from the ancient Hebrew name Levit which means ‘heart’ or ‘sweetheart’. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Lempel include the following:

Lampel

Lempple

Lampple

Lamppl

Lemple

Lampl

Lampal

Lempley

Lamppley

Lempol

Lempolle

Lampol

Lampolle

Lampolley

Lampoll

Lampole

Lampley

Lempal

Lampall

Lipol

Lippal

Lephol

Liphall

Lephill

Lampel-Tishman

Lamppel-Tishman

Lemple-Tishman

Lampley-Tishman

Lempley-Tishman

Lippel

Lippl

Lippa

Lippo

Lepola

Lipala

Leppel

Leppal

Lepple

Lepplo

The Lempel surname has a long and prestigious history. In the past, some members of the Lempel family were prominent rabbis during the Middle Ages. Later, the Lempel surname became associated with prominent rabbinical circles throughout Europe. In modern times, the Lempel surname can be found in Jewish communities around the world.

Famous people with the name Lempel

• Zvi Lempel: Israeli computer scientist, expert in coding theory.
• Nathan Lempel: American physicist and mathematician.
• Victor Lempel: Israeli Civil Court Judge.
• Yossi Lempel: Israeli film director and actor.
• David Lempel: Israeli multi-instrumentalist.
• Sarah Lempel: American actress and artist.
• Yuri Lempel: Israeli journalist and political commentator.
• Gregor Lempel: Austrian-born Israeli musician.
• Danny Lempel: German-Israeli bassist and singer.
• Chaim Lempel: Israeli lyricist and composer.
• Yael Lempel: Israeli journalist, columnist, and media personality.
• Marty Lempel: American music producer, engineer, and composer.
• Michael Lempel: Israeli-American attorney and business executive.
• Yosef Lempel: Israeli-American-Senegalese composer and musician.
• Yechiel Lempel: Israeli journalist and radio personality.
• Aharon Lempel: Israeli actor.
• Zev Lempel: Israeli composer and arranger.
• Tova Lempel: Israeli actress and model.
• Daniel Lempel: Israeli actor and filmmaker.
• Julian Lempel: Israeli film director and screenwriter.

Other surnames

LempeLempenLempensLempersLempertLempertz