Abel Family History
Abel Name Meaning
Common European surname: from the personal name Abel, which is of Biblical origin and was used as a Christian name in many countries of Europe. In the Book of Genesis Abel is a son of Adam, murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–8). In Christian tradition he is regarded as representative of suffering innocence. The Hebrew form of the name is Hevel, from a vocabulary word meaning ‘breath’. German: from the personal name Abel, a pet form of Albrecht (see Albert).
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press