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Engel Family History

Engel Surname Meaning

German, Dutch, and Danish: from a short form of various ancient Germanic personal names (see for example Engelbert and Engelhard). A number of different elements have fallen together in Engel-, mainly Ingal, an extended form of Ing, the name of an ancient Germanic god or folk hero, and Angel ‘Angle’. The Angles were an ancient Germanic tribe living on the Jutland peninsula; in the 5th–6th centuries they invaded eastern and northern Britain and gave their name to England (Old English Englaland ‘land of the Angles’).

German and Dutch: topographic or habitational name referring to a house bearing the sign of an angel, Middle High German engel. This surname, in both possible senses (see also 1 above), is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).

English (London): of German or Dutch origin (see 1 and 2 above) or a variant of Ingle.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Engel ‘angel’ (see 2 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Engel family from?

You can see how Engel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Engel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Engel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 63 Engel families living in London. This was about 66% of all the recorded Engel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Engel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Engel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Engel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, French Polisher (furniture) and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Engel. 20% of Engel men worked as a French Polisher (furniture) and 63% of Engel women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Engel were Lorry Driver and Dressmaker.

View Census Data for Engel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • French Polisher (furniture)
    20%
  • Private Means
    20%
  • Dental Surgeon
    20%
  • Lorry Driver
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Private Means
    10%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Dressmaker
    5%

What Engel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Engel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Engel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Engel

Passenger Lists

There are 33,000 immigration records available for the last name Engel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Engel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Engel. For the veterans among your Engel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Engel military records

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