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Wenzel History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Wenzel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany-Alt
Germany

The surname Wenzel is a patronymic surname; that is, it is derived from the personal name of the original bearer. Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Vernacular names that were derived from ancient Germanic personal names have cognates in most European languages. For example, the court of Charlemagne (742-814) was Christian and Latin-speaking, but the Frankish dialect of Old German was commonly used for personal names. Vernacular names were also widespread in Germany. As a result, many typical English and French names are of Germanic origin and have cognates in other European languages. In this instance, the surname is derived from the given name Wenzel, a diminutive of the German name Wenze. This personal name is related to the Hungarian name Wenceslas, the 10th century saint immortalized in the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas.

Early Origins of the Wenzel family

The surname Wenzel was first found in Pomerania, where a member of the family was a knight in 1260. Many important members came from this family, such as Wenzel, a Bohemian king who died in 1305. From Pomerania, members of the family gradually migrated to different areas in Europe, such as Breslau, where the branch Wenczusch was recorded in 1345. The branch Wenczel Schickentanz was recorded in 1365 in Bruenn. A member of the branch Wenzel was an electorate in Sachsen and died in 1388. In 1414, the branch Wenczlab was recorded in Maehren.

Early History of the Wenzel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wenzel research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1769, 1856 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Wenzel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wenzel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wensel, Wenzel, Wentsel, Wentzel, Wensell, Wenzell, Wentsell, Wentzell, Wenczel, Wenczlab, Wenczusch, Wentzke, Wentske, Wentziehn, Wentzig, Wentzler, Wentze, Ventzke, Ventske, Venceke, Ventzel and many more.

Early Notables of the Wenzel family

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

Wenzel Ranking

In the United States, the name Wenzel is the 3,275^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Wenzel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wenzel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

August Wenzel, who arrived in America in 1777 2

Wenzel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Philip Wenzel, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 2
Mrs. Marg Wenzel, (nee Schnetz), from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Johann Dethardt" in 1844
Ignaz Wenzel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Johann Dethardt" in 1844
Regina Wenzel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Johann Dethardt" in 1844
Maria Anna Wenzel, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Johann Dethardt" in 1844
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wenzel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Joseph Wenzel, who landed in Arkansas in 1906 2

Wenzel migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wenzel Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Emil Wenzel, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Wenzel (post 1700) +

Ralph Richard Wenzel (1943-2012), American professional NFL football guard
Joseph W. Wenzel (b. 1933), American argumentation and rhetorical scholar
David T. Wenzel (b. 1950), American illustrator and children's book artist
William R. Wenzel, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 72nd District, 2012 4
Jack E. Wenzel, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1972 4
Henry G. Wenzel Jr., American Republican politician, Justice of New York Supreme Court, 1932-59 (2nd District 1932-48, 10th District 1948-59); Candidate for Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention at-large 4
Emily Wenzel, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 2004 4
Adolphus E. Wenzel, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Sullivan County, 1875 4
Andreas Wenzel (b. 1958), former World Cup and Olympic alpine ski racer from Liechtenstein
René Wenzel (b. 1960), Danish cycle racing coach
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wenzel family +

Bismarck

Alfred Wenzel (1919-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details