Surname Vögl - Meaning and Origin
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Vögl: What does the surname Vögl mean?
The German surname Vögl is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "vogel” meaning "bird." This suggests that the ancestors of the Vögl family were most likely named for their occupation - either as a falconer or some other type of bird handler - or for their physical attributes, such as a "vogel-like" manner.
Additionally, the name may have been used as a surname by families who owned expansive lands which included fields with wild birds.
The Vögl family may have served as important civic or political figures in their local communities, as Austria was a monarchy with a strict class hierarchy during the Middle Ages. Families of political power usually took surnames to proclaim their importance, and often chose words related to birds and nobility.
The Vögl surname can be found throughout many regions of Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. It also appears in some areas of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania.
The coat of arms of the Vögl family includes a black and gold shield, with a yellow bird and a red border. The shield is divided in four sections. The left and right sections are black, and the center is yellow with a black bird at the top. Below that is a red stripe. This coat of arms is the same as the one used by the noble families of Vögl of Tyrol and Styria, and is a representation of their time-honored heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisVögl: Where does the name Vögl come from?
The last name Vögl is most commonly found in Austria and Germany today, although it is also found in other countries. It is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word "vögelin," which means "small bird." The name likely originated in Bavaria, where there is still an area called Vogelin.
The Vögls in Austria are likely descended from a Bavarian family that moved there centuries ago. Though there is not much known about the family’s history, Vögls can be found all over Austria today. There are even a few “Vögl Houses” in the country, and there is a street in Lofer, Salzburg called Vöglgang.
The Vögls in Germany descend from Bavaria too, and also from Thuringia. While they are mostly found in the southern parts of the country, they are also scattered around the world. Today they are well-represented in North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Most recorded Vögls can be traced back to a time period before the unification of Germany in the late 19th century. This means that the family has remained scattered throughout many generations, likely due to regional migration patterns since the Middle Ages.
Variations of the surname Vögl
The surname Vögl is a German surname with several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Vogel, Vogal, Voegel, and Voegl.
Vögl is derived from the German word Vogel, meaning "bird". It could be an occupational name for someone who was a birdkeeper, a bird catcher, a bird-seller, or a hunter of wild birds. It could also have been an agentive name, indicating someone who acted on behalf of birds, such as an advocate for bird protection.
Variants with the spelling ‘Vogel’ can also be found in Jewish families in Germany, descended from a German Jewish ancestor. This variant’s surname origin could relate to the patronymic origin of the name, suggesting that the ancestor who ultimately surnamed the family was descended from a father or grandfather named Vogel.
Spellings and surnames of the same origin for Vögl include Fogel, Vogeley, Vogelhofer, Vogeler, Vogelsang, Vogelzang, Vögely, and Vögeler. All of these surnames have a similar meaning of "bird", derived from the German word Vogel.
In summary, the surname Vögl has variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin that all share a common meaning of “bird”. These variants provide insight into the origin and occupational history of the Vögl surname.
Famous people with the name Vögl
- Thomas Vögl: Austrian professional ice hockey player
- Carl Vögl: European bantam weight boxing champion
- Ottomar Vögl: German cross country skier, competed in 1952 Olympics
- Lothar Vögl: Austrian Olympic long-distance runner
- Josef Vögl: Austrian football defender for FC Red Bull Salzburg
- Rainer Vögl: German high jumper, competed in 1980 Olympics
- Franziska Vögl: German rower, competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Monika Vögl: Austrian author and politician
- Dieter Vögl: German footballer for Schalke 04
- Alfons Vögl: Austrian Catholic clergyman and bishop of Graz-Seckau