Show ContentsDinckel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestral home of the Dinckel family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Dinckel is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a farmer or a dealer in spelt, which is a kind of wheat. Spelt, which is a derivative of the Old Germanic word Dinkel, was a grain like barley and wheat that was grown extensively in the German speaking states during the Middle Ages. Spelt was sold as a cereal and formed a large part of the diet at this time. Nonetheless, Dinckel is also a local name for a person that came from Dinkelsbuhl, a town in Bavaria in the south of Germany. Dinkelsbuhl, which is one of the best preserved medieval towns, dates back to the 14th century. The Dinckel family possessed vast estates and resided in an elegant feudal manor. During the Middle Ages, they became a part of the landed aristocracy and they wielded considerable prestige and influence in the region of Bavaria. Nonetheless, the family expanded into other parts of the German territories after the 16th century.

Early Origins of the Dinckel family

The surname Dinckel was first found in Bavaria, where this family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name Dinkle became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System. Ancient chronicles first mention one Burkart der Dinkel of the town Villgenau in the year 1370.

Early History of the Dinckel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dinckel research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1802, 1827, 1843, 1846, 1858, 1889, 1892, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1914 and 1935 are included under the topic Early Dinckel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dinckel Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Dinckel include Dinkel, Dinckels, Dinckel, Dinckle, Dinkler, Dinckelmann, Dinkelman, Tinkel, Tinckel and many more.

Early Notables of the Dinckel family

Prominent among members of the name Dinckel in this period include Christian Dingler (1802-1858) German founder of the "Dinglerwerk" manufacturing business at Zweibrücken in 1827. He invented a version of a Toggle press which he called the "Zweibrücker-press," but more popularly was known as the "Dingler Press." The printing press was immensely popular throughout Europe...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dinckel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Dinckel migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Dinckel or a variant listed above:

Dinckel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Michael Dinckel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1752
Dinckel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jacob Dinckel, aged 29, who landed in Missouri in 1840 1


  1. 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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