Show ContentsMuhl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Muhl surname is thought to have originated in Bavaria, Germany. As hereditary surnames began to be adopted in that area beginning in the 12th century, people were often identified by the kind of work they did. Muhl is an occupational name for a miller, derived from the Old Germanic "Mulinari."

Early Origins of the Muhl family

The surname Muhl was first found in Southern Germany, where they were established in the Middle Ages. The name is the German form of the Latin name "Molinarius," "Mulinari" in Old German. The modern form of the name, Mueller, is documented early on in the chronicles of Swabia, wherein the knight Conrad von Husen is noted as having become known as Mueller for his ownership of a mill.

Early History of the Muhl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Muhl research. Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1631, 1670, 1675, 1693, 1749, 1752, 1758, 1779, 1806, 1807, 1815, 1825, 1828, 1829 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Muhl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Muhl 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 Muhl include Mueller, Muller, Mueler, Muler, Miller, Moeller, Muellner, Milner, Molner and many more.

Early Notables of the Muhl family

Prominent among members of the name Muhl in this period include Heinrich Müller (1631-1675) was a German devotional author, Protestant author of hymns and Lutheran theologian; Adam Heinrich Mueller (1779-1829), ennobled in 1828 as Ritter von Nittersdorf, who influenced Hegel and accompanied Metternich to Paris in 1815, Johann Matthias Mueller, a general in the Austrian army, who was ennobled in 1758, Friedrich Mueller (1749-1825), known as "Maler Mueller" ("painter...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Muhl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Muhl migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Muhl or a variant listed above:

Muhl Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Muhl, who landed in New York in 1709 1
  • Joh Samuel Muhl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 1
  • Georg Eeberhart Muhl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 1
Muhl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Muhl, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1854 1
  • Christoph Muhl, who landed in America in 1882 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Muhl (post 1700) +

  • Erica Muhl (b. 1961), American Academy of Arts and Letters award winning composer and conductor
  • Charlotte Kemp Muhl (b. 1987), American model, actress, singer, and musician

Bradford City stadium fire
  • Elizabeth Muhl (1964-1985), from Leeds who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and she died in the fire


The Muhl Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute ingenioque valemus
Motto Translation: We are strong because our virtue and talent


  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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