Show ContentsWinkel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Winkel family

The surname Winkel was first found in Saxony, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society that became prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches throughout Germany, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Chronicles first mention Gerbod zu dem Winkel of Mainz in 1343, and Nicolaus Winkeler of Liegnitz in Silesia in 1397.

Early History of the Winkel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winkel research. Another 254 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1582, 1628, 1631, 1650, 1654, 1675, 1704, 1710, 1735, 1766 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Winkel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winkel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Winckler, Winkler, Winkel, Winckeler, Winkeler, Winck, Wincker, Winker, Winkele and many more.

Early Notables of the Winkel family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Winkel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winkel Ranking

In the United States, the name Winkel is the 12,701st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1] However, in Netherlands, the name Winkel is ranked the 624th most popular surname with an estimated 2,909 people with that name. [2]


United States Winkel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Winkel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Henrig Winkel, who arrived in New York in 1709 [3]
Winkel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M H Winkel, aged 40, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1807 [3]
  • Mrs. Marg. Winkel, (nee Sievers), from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Hercules" in 1844
  • Mr. Fried. Winkel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Hercules" in 1844
  • Mr. Hein. Winkel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Hercules" in 1844
  • Mr. Wilh. Winkel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Hercules" in 1844
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Winkel (post 1700) +

  • Rick Winkel (b. 1956), American politician and lawyer, Member of the Illinois Senate (2003-2007)
  • Gary Winkel (b. 1938), American environmental psychologist
  • Nathaniel "Nate" Winkel (b. 1978), retired American soccer midfielder
  • Adrian Paul Winkel (1915-1994), American politician, High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
  • Adrian Winkel, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1960 [4]
  • Torsten de Winkel (b. 1965), German musician, composer, and philosopher
  • Leo Winkel (1885-1981), German architect
  • Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel (1777-1826), German-born, Dutch inventor of the metronome
  • Petrus Wijtse Winkel (1909-2012), Dutch colonial administrator in the Dutch East Indies
  • Paul van Winkel (b. 1953), Belgian wheelchair racer and multiple Paralympic gold medalist
  • ... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Artur Winkel (1891-1941), German Angestellter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [5]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. 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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