Surname Michels - Meaning and Origin
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DNA Test Sheds Light on the Unexpected History of the Michels Ancestry: A Journey towards Self-discovery
My personal journey with iGENEA's DNA testing presented an unexpected revelation about my ancestors named Michels, fathoming their migration patterns, racial blend, and historical roles. This profound insight revamped my self-understanding.
H. Michels
read moreMichels: What does the surname Michels mean?
The last name Michels is a German surname derived from the given name Michel, which is itself derived from the Hebrew name Michael, meaning “who is like God.” Throughout the centuries, the name Michels has been found in predominantly Germanic lands, as well as other areas in Europe.
In addition, Michels is commonly found in today's German-speaking world (in Germany, Austria, and other European countries) and in many parts of the United States, particularly along the East Coast. The frequency of the surname Michels follows a regional pattern with concentrations in the Rhineland, in the Westphalia region, and in Southern Germany.
In its early days, the Michels family primarily worked as servants, farmers, fishermen, soldiers, and tradesmen. In more recent years, the variety of occupations of the family has expanded to include teachers, engineers, bankers, and service providers.
A notable figure bearing the last name Michels was Ferdinand Emil Lambert Michels (1891-ISTER), a prominent German dancer, actor, director, and impresario. He was also the founder of a noted theater, the Munich Kammerspiele, and was the artistic director of the Salzburg Festival from 1925 to 1930.
The Michels family has also had a prominent political presence in Germany, with several candidates for the German parliament bearing the name. The most notable of these is Ulrike Meyfarth, the youngest person to ever win an Olympic gold medal in the high jump, and a Member of the European Parliament.
Overall, the Michels family has a long and storied history, with members of the family taking part in many facets of both the arts and the political arena.
Order DNA origin analysisMichels: Where does the name Michels come from?
The last name Michels is especially common in countries with strong German cultural or historical influence. In Germany, it is common, especially in Bavaria, but can be found throughout the country. It is the 11th most common last name in the Netherlands, and is also found frequently in other countries with a Dutch heritage or influence, such as Belgium and Luxembourg. It is also fairly common in the former Yugoslavian countries of Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as other Eastern European countries such as Romania and Poland.
Outside of Europe, the last name Michels is most common in North and South America, where many immigrants settled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This includes the United States, where it is most common along the East Coast, especially Pennsylvania. It is also fairly common in Central and South American countries such as Nicaragua, Mexico, Peru, and Columbia. Canada also has significant numbers of people with the Michels surname, especially in the western provinces.
In general, the Michels surname is most commonly found in the Germanic countries of Europe, other areas with strong Dutch influences, Eastern European countries, and North and South America.
Variations of the surname Michels
The surname Michels is a German surname of patronymic origin, derived from the given name Michael. It is also found in Dutch, Scandinavian, and Eastern European countries. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include:
Micales, Mechels, Michalak, Micalez, Macek, Michaelsen, Mikola, Michaelson, Mykels, Mikalau, Micha, Miklus, Michael, Mecha, Mihalache, Mechele, Mechlinski, Miethles, Michelsz, Mikalajczyk, Mihel, Miklewski, and Mikalaitis.
In some countries, such as Germany, the spelling of the surname has been modified over the centuries to adapt to the phonetic characteristics of the country’s language. For example, the German pronunciation of Michels is Michl. Thus, the surname took on several spellings including Michl, Michles, Michlesch, Michless, Michoules, and Mickey.
In the Netherlands, the surname Michels has been shortened to Melis, while in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway, a common spelling is Michelsen, which is derived from the Scandinavian version of the Michaelis patronym.
Similarly, the patronymic root of the surname Michels also gave rise to other surnames including Mueller and Müller in the German speaking countries, Muller in the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Möller in Sweden, Moller and Möller in Denmark, Molina in Spain, di Michele and Migliorini in Italy as well as Michel, Michelet or Mitchel in France.
In America, the various spellings of the Michels surname eventually consolidated to Michaels, with variants including Michalke, Mickelson, Mychelson, Mykelson, and Michael.
Famous people with the name Michels
- Jan-Michael Vincent: American Actor
- Robert Michels: German sociologist
- Michel Butor: French writer
- Jim Michels: Two-time Olympic Decathlete from the United States
- Eppie Michels: American singer and songwriter
- Carlos Michels: Uruguayan poet
- Ursula Michels: German organist, composer, and conductor
- Andrea Michels: German actress
- André Michels: German politician
- Günther Michels: German marathoner and race walker