Show ContentsDingel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestral home of the Dingel family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Dingel 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, Dingel 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 Dingel 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 Dingel family

The surname Dingel 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 Dingel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dingel 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 Dingel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dingel 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 Dingel include Dinkel, Dinckels, Dinckel, Dinckle, Dinkler, Dinckelmann, Dinkelman, Tinkel, Tinckel and many more.

Early Notables of the Dingel family

Prominent among members of the name Dingel 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 Dingel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Dingel migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Dingel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Christoph Dingel, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1857 1

Canada Dingel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dingel Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Bandudor Dingel who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Diamond" departing 8th June 1847 from Bremerhaven, Germany; the ship arrived on 31st July 1847 but he died on board 2


  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)
  2. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 73)


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