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Nagel History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Nagel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
Germany
Ireland

The surname Nagel is a German occupational surname that evolved in the region known as the Rhineland. Germans at first used only one name, but population growth and increased travel in medieval times caused confusion between people of the same name, forcing the people to adopt hereditary surnames. These names often identified people by the kind of work they did. Nagel is a name for a carpenter, builder or a person who made or sold nails. The name Nagel is derived from the Old German word "nagal," which means "nail." There are also numerous places named Nagel in Germany.

Early Origins of the Nagel family

The surname Nagel was first found in Westphalia, where this family made important contributions toward the development of this district from ancient times. Always prominent in social and political affairs, the family formed alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Nagel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nagel research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1224, 1451, 1562, 1649, 1769, 1773, 1836 and 1851 are included under the topic Early Nagel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nagel Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Nagel include Nagel, Nagle, Naegel, Nageli, Naegeli, Nagell, Nagler, Nagele, Naegele, Naegelen, Negel, Negele, Nail, Neil and many more.

Early Notables of the Nagel family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nagel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nagel Ranking

In the United States, the name Nagel is the 3,196^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Nagel is ranked the 783^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,456 people with that name. 2

Nagel migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Nagel were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Nagel Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Margaritje Nagel, who landed in America in 1649 3
Margaritje Denys Nagel, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1649 3
Jurriaen Jansen Nagel, aged 5, who landed in New York in 1658 3

Nagel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Herman Nagel, who landed in New York in 1709 3
Hans Jacob Nagel, who landed in New York in 1709 3
Jacob Nagel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1730
Jacob Nagel, who arrived in America in 1730 3
Johannes Nagel, who landed in North Carolina in 1732 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Nagel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Antony Nagel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 3
Johanes Nagel, aged 19, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
Heinnch Nagel, aged 27, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 3
Johann Karl Nagel, who landed in North America in 1843 3
Adam Nagel, who settled in Illinois in 1844
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Nagel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nagel Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

George Nagel, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Matthias Nagel, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

Contemporary Notables of the name Nagel (post 1700) +

Conrad Nagel (b. 1897), American screen actor and matinee idol of the silent film era
Joseph F. Nagel (1902-1984), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 1st District, 1946
Stuart Nagel (1934-2001), Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ernest Nagel (1901-1985), Czech-born, American philosopher of science
Charles Nagel (1849-1940), United States politician and lawyer from St. Louis, Missouri, Secretary of Commerce and Labor (1909 to 1913)
Anne Nagel (1915-1966), born Anne Dolan in Boston, an American actress, best known for her appearance with W.C. Fields and Mae West in My Little Chickadee (1940)
Steven R Nagel (1946-2014), American Colonel in the USAF and a former NASA astronaut
Thomas Nagel (b. 1937), American professor of Philosophy and Law awarded a Rolf Schock Prize in 2008 for his work in philosophy as well as the Balzan prize the same year
Patrick Nagel (1945-1984), American artist
David J. Nagel, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives from Genesee County 1st District, 1942
... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
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)