Show ContentsRabel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The noble French surname Rabel is of occupational origin, and is derived from the trade or profession pursued by the original bearer of the name. In this instance, the surname Rabel was applied to one who was engaged in the restoration and reconstruction of buildings and any other repair work, so called from the French "rabelir, abellir" meaning "repairer."

Early Origins of the Rabel family

The surname Rabel was first found in the region of Brittany, in the north of France, where the family held lands and estates for centuries.

Early History of the Rabel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rabel research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1494, 1547, 1553 and 1622 are included under the topic Early Rabel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rabel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rabelais, Raballet, Rabelat, Rabelot, Rablat, Rabellaux, Rabeil, Rabelin, Rabel, Rabalais and many more.

Early Notables of the Rabel family

Notable amongst this name at this time was

  • François Rabelais (born between 1483 and 1494-1553), a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque...
  • Jacques Rabelais (c. 1547 - c. 1622) was a minor French Renaissance writer and scholar. Known mostly for his ties to grandfather François Rabelais, Jacques wrote several essays and one book that chron...


United States Rabel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rabel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Rabel, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710-1714 1
Rabel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Louis Rabel, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 1
  • Pedro Luis Rabel, aged 22, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1879 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Rabel (post 1700) +

  • Laszlo Rabel (1937-1966), United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
  • Paul Rabel, French engineer
  • Gustave Rabel, French painter
  • Fanny Rabel (1922-2003), born Fanny Rabinovich, was a Mexican painter

Bismarck
  • Hermann Rabel (1920-1941), 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 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. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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