Hammerl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancestral home of the Hammerl family is in Austria, where the surname first emerged almost a millennium ago. The name Hammerl is a contraction of the German "Hammerschmied," meaning "blacksmith," and was most likely first borne by someone who held this occupation. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the place name "Hammel;" in this instance, the name would refer to someone hailing from the town of Hammel.

According to Grimm and Forstemann, Hammer or Hamer is "a name under which traces of Thor are still to be found in the popular speech of Germany, and it is derived, no doubt, from the celebrated hammer or mallet which he wielded." 1

Early Origins of the Hammerl family

The surname Hammerl was first found in southern Germany and Austria, where the family became noted for its many branches throughout these regions. The first individual bearers of this name to be mentioned in ancient chronicles were "meister Hemer der smed (smith)" of Breslau, Silesia, in 1356, Hensl Hemerl of Iglau, Bohemia, in 1425, Ulrich Hamerl of Prague in 1390, and Nicolas Hamer of Worms in 1317.

Early History of the Hammerl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hammerl research. Another 197 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1791, 1820 and 1836 are included under the topic Early Hammerl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hammerl Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Hammerl include Hammer, Hammerer, Hamer, Hahmmer, Hahmer, Haammer, Haamer, Hammerer, Haemmerlein, Haemmerle, Hemmerle, Hammerl, Hamerl, Hemmerling, Hammerling, Hemerl, Hemer, Haemmer, Haemmerl and many more.

Early Notables of the Hammerl family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Hammerl were Baron Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, who was a famous linguist and orientalist. He spent 50 years acquiring a vast library of the rarest and most valuable works of oriental...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hammerl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hammerl family

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hammerl or a variant listed above: Rinehart Hammer, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1729; Johann Georg Hammerer, who came to Philadelphia in 1770; as did Andreas Haemmerlein in 1848; Carl Ludwig Hamer, who settled in Texas in 1850.

Contemporary Notables of the name Hammerl (post 1700) +

Charles Hammerl, American politician, Mayor of Des Plaines, Illinois, 1929-33 3
Franz Hammerl (1919-2001), German international footballer, member of the 1927 National Team
Karl Hammerl, German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe, during World War II, credited with 67 aerial victories, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Gregor Hammerl (1942-2023), Austrian politician who was President of the Federal Council of Austria in 2012
László Hammerl (b. 1942), Hungarian Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist sports shooter
Anton Hammerl (1969-2011), South African photojournalist shot and killed by troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi outside of Brega

The Hammerl Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per labores ad honores
Motto Translation: By work and honour.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html