| ![Show Contents]() Sigal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany Israel The German state of Bavariais the ancestral home of the Sigal family. Hereditary surnames began to be used in Germany during the 12th century. Names like Sigal, that came from the name of the job done by their initial bearer, were very popular. Sigal 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 Sigal familyThe surname Sigal 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 Sigal familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sigal 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 Sigal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sigal Spelling VariationsIn 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 Sigal include Siegel, Sigel, Sigl, Siegl, Siegler, Sigler, Siglin, Sieglin, Siegelin, Sigelin, Siglen, Sieglen, Siegele and many more. Early Notables of the Sigal familyMore information is included under the topic Early Sigal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Sigal familyThe 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: Jacob Siegel, who came to Pennsylvania in 1727. Johannes Siglin settled in Pennsylvania in 1753 with his wife and five children, as did John Siegel in 1765.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Sigal (post 1700) | + |
- Clancy Sigal (1926-2017), American prolific author, best-known for the autobiographical novel Going Away (1961)
| Historic Events for the Sigal family | + |
- Irving Stanley Sigal (1953-1988), American Research Biologist from Pennington, New Jersey, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 1
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