Show ContentsApel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Apel family

The surname Apel was first found in Nuremberg, where the name Apel emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century, the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Apel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Apel research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1779, 1790 and 1811 are included under the topic Early Apel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Apel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Apel, Apell, Appell, Appel, Apele, Appelle, Appel and others.

Early Notables of the Apel family

Prominent among members of the name Apel in this period include

  • the von Apel family of Bavaria

Apel Ranking

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


United States Apel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

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.)

Canada 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


  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)


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