Show ContentsMenzel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Menzel family

The surname Menzel was first found in Bavaria, where the name Von Menzel was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Menzel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Menzel research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1782 is included under the topic Early Menzel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Menzel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Von Menzel, Menzel, Menzelle, Menzels, Von Menzelle, Von Menzels, Menzeel, Menzzel, Mensel, Menzell, Von Mensel, Menzl, Von Menzl, Von Menz, Menz, Menze and many more.

Early Notables of the Menzel family

Prominent among members of the name Menzel in this period include

  • the Von Menzel family of Bavaria

Menzel Ranking

In the United States, the name Menzel is the 11,016th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Menzel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Menzel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Adolph Menzel, who arrived in Cincinnati sometime between 1788 and 1848
Menzel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • David Menzel, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
  • C. J. Menzel, who settled in New York, NY in 1862
  • William Menzel, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1868 2
  • Gustav A Menzel, who arrived in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 2
  • Gustav Adolph Menzel, who landed in Ohio in 1869 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Menzel (post 1700) +

  • Peter J. Menzel (b. 1948), American freelance photojournalist, founder of Peter Menzel Photography
  • Idina Kim Menzel (b. 1971), American Tony award winning, Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award nominated actress, singer, and songwriter
  • Emil Wolfgang Menzel Jr. (1929-2012), American primatologist and comparative psychologist
  • Donald Howard Menzel (1901-1976), American astrophysicist, eponym of the Menzel lunar crater, Menzel 3, a young bipolar planetary nebula and 1967 Menzel, an asteroid
  • Roderich Ferdinand Ottomar Menzel (1907-1987), German amateur tennis player and author, ranked number 7 in the world (1934)
  • Joachim Menzel (1914-2005), German Major der Reserve in the Wehrmacht during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  • Wolfgang Menzel (1798-1873), German poet, critic and literary historian
  • Adolf Friedrich Erdmann von Menzel (1815-1905), German artist, known for drawings, etchings, and paintings
  • Jiri Menzel (1938-2020), Czech film director, theatre director, actor, and screenwriter

Bismarck
  • Oskar Menzel (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3
  • Heinz Menzel (1914-1941), German Funkmaat Res. who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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