Sigel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German state of Bavariais the ancestral home of the Sigel family. Hereditary surnames began to be used in Germany during the 12th century. Names like Sigel, that came from the name of the job done by their initial bearer, were very popular. Sigel is an occupational name for a maker or purveyor of wax seals of the type commonly used to certify the authenticity of letters and documents until early this century, or a person responsible for the sealing and signing of official documents, a position known as Siegelbeamter. The name comes from the German word "siegel," which means "seal."

Early Origins of the Sigel family

The surname Sigel was first found in Bavaria, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging mediaeval society. The name became prominent as many branches of the family founded separate houses and acquired estates in various regions, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Tetmarus Sigeler of Stettin in Pomerania (c.1263,) and Sigler of Wuerzburg (c.1383). The name literally refers to the position of "Siegelbeamter," responsible for seals and the signing of documents.

Early History of the Sigel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sigel research. Another 251 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1560, 1774, 1777, 1807, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818 and 1862 are included under the topic Early Sigel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sigel 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 Sigel include Siegel, Sigel, Sigl, Siegl, Siegler, Sigler, Siglin, Sieglin, Siegelin, Sigelin, Siglen, Sieglen, Siegele and many more.

Early Notables of the Sigel family

More information is included under the topic Early Sigel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sigel Ranking

In the United States, the name Sigel is the 17,140^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Sigel 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 Sigel or a variant listed above:

Sigel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johann Gottfried Sigel, who settled in America in 1807
Joh Gottf Sigel, who arrived in America in 1807 2
A. Sigel, who settled in San Francisco in 1851
A Sigel, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Sigel (post 1700) +

Ulysses Sigel Webb (b. 1864), American Republican politician, Plumas County District Attorney; California State Attorney General, 1902-39 3

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html