Apel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany-Alt
Germany

The distinguished surname Apel is derived from the Middle English "appel," meaning "apple." The name may have been originally borne by a grower or seller of apples, or by someone living near an apple tree. Alternatively, the name may have been first bestowed as a nickname on someone with bright red cheeks.

Early Origins of the Apel family

The surname Apel was first found in various counties and shires during the reign of King Edward III, between 1327 and 1377. The first known bearer of the name was Nicholas Appelman, who was listed in the Close Rolls (1204-1227)

Early History of the Apel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Apel research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Apel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Apel Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Apple, Appel, Appleman, Appelman and others.

Early Notables of the Apel family

More information is included under the topic Early Apel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Apel Ranking

In the United States, the name Apel is the 15,000^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Apel migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Apel or a variant listed above:

Apel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Apalonia Apel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732
Jonas Apel, who landed in America in 1771 2
Mrs. Jonas Apel, who arrived in America in 1771 2

Apel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Konrad Apel, who landed in America in 1832 2
Gustav Apel, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
Gustav Apel, who arrived in New York City in 1850
Auguste Apel, who settled in America in 1854
Auguste Apel, who landed in America in 1854 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Apel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Apel Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

August, Carl Christian, Franz, and J.C.F. Jutta Apel all of whom were recorded as having, who arrived in Quebec in 1850
Carl Christian Apel, who landed in Quebec in 1850
Franz Apel, who landed in Quebec in 1850
J C F Apel, who landed in Quebec in 1850
Julia Apel, who arrived in Quebec in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Apel (post 1700) +

Willi Apel (1893-1988), American (German born) musicologist who specialized in medieval and Renaissance music and taught at Harvard, and the University of Indiana
Hans Apel, German finance minister and later defense minister in the cabinet of Helmut Schmidt
Karl-Otto Apel (1922-2017), German philosopher and professor at the University of Frankfurt am Main
Dr. Hans Eberhard Apel (b. 1932), German Federal Minister of Finance of former West Germany
Johann August Apel (1771-1816), German writer and jurist
Katrin Apel (b. 1973), German Olympic biathlete

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)