Surname Scheele - Meaning and Origin
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O. Scheele
read moreScheele: What does the surname Scheele mean?
The surname Scheele originates from the German language and was likely derived from the word "shella," meaning "shield" or "protection." The surname was used in the Middle Ages to designate a soldier who carried a shield, possibly a member of a medieval German family that held high societal or military status.
The surname Scheele was first recorded in the 1200s when several families in Germany used the name, including members of a hereditary knighthood. With a migration of German families to the United States in the 19th century, many people with the Scheele surname spread across America– taking up various professions including blacksmiths, tailors, and engineers.
Today, the surname Scheele is primarily found in the United States, Germany, and Sweden. Scheele is also occasionally used by families in other countries, such as France and Great Britain.
Though the exact meaning of the surname Scheele is unclear, the family name continues to be associated with concepts of protection and strength.
Order DNA origin analysisScheele: Where does the name Scheele come from?
The surname Scheele is mostly found as a family name in Germany and Scandinavia today. It is most common in Germany, where records show it was present since the medieval period. It has been found in numerous states in the country, including Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
The Scheele surname was likely originally derived from an ancient name meaning “one who lives in a sheltered area”. The name is also found within the Swedish empire, in places such as Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Norway. It has also been observed in other parts of Europe, such as the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia.
The Scheele surname has a long history within the Nordic countries; it was documented in various Danish provinces, as well as in various parts of Sweden such as Uppsala and Norrbotten, as early as the 17th century. Its presence can also be found in various parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia, primarily among descendants of Scandinavian immigrants. Additionally, records indicate that Scheele families have been found in South Africa since the late 19th century.
Today, the Scheele surname is still widespread in Germany, Scandinavia, and other parts of the world. It continues to be a popular name in the Nordic countries, indicating that it has been adopted by numerous families of that region, and is seen as a unique part of their familial history.
Variations of the surname Scheele
Some variant spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Scheele are Scheel, Schöll, Schöl(l), Schaele, Schale, Scheller, Schell, Schellen, Schiel, Schill, Schoell and Schoeller.
The origin of the surname Scheele is believed to come from the Medieval German word scheel or schael, which was originally a name given to someone considered to be squint-eyed or cross-eyed. Later, it also became a general nickname or surname for someone considered to be watchful or alert.
The majority of Scheele families can be found in Germany and other parts of Europe, particularly in the Low Countries and Scandinavia, reflecting their Germanic origin. It is also found in the United States, particularly among immigrants from German-speaking countries.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Scheele also have similar meanings of someone watchful, alert, cross-eyed or squint-eyed. The meaning of the Scheele family name is preserved in some of the same origin variants, such as Scheller ("guardian") and Schill ("shield").
It can also refer to Scheele's Law which states that the ratio of the quintessence of a body is always constant, and Scheele's Gas discovered by Swedish scientist Karl Wilhelm Scheele.
Famous people with the name Scheele
- Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742:1786): Swedish chemist and pharmacist who discovered oxygen, chlorine, and many other chemical elements.
- Anders Scheele (1818-1883): Finnish entrepreneur and landowner who founded the city of Tampere in 1820.
- Gustav Scheele (1876-1939): German artist who painted a series of works depicting the countryside and villages of his homeland.
- Ernst Scheele (1885-1973): German athlete who competed in the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
- Olof Scheele (1887-1974): Swedish physicist who worked on theory of relativity and developed radio-frequency technology.
- Conrad Scheele (1908-1980): Austrian physicist and professor at the University of Vienna.
- Harry Scheele (1911-2006): American rocket scientist who worked on the Apollo program and the Saturn V rocket.
- Ulf Scheele (b. 1952): Swedish soccer player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics.
- Brian Scheele (b. 1958): Canadian ice hockey player who won gold at the 1984 Olympics.
- Liz Scheele (b. 1964): Australian costume designer and five-time recipient of the AACTA Award for Best Costume Design.