Surname Göthel - Meaning and Origin

Göthel: What does the surname Göthel mean?

The surname Göthel is of German origin and dates back to the late Middle Ages. It is thought to have derived from the Germanic personal name Gaut, which came from the Old High German gaut meaning "advocate" or "brave". Over the centuries, Göthel has been known by a variety of spellings and can be seen in many variations throughout Germany, such as Geuther, Geother, Geuthler, Gauthel, and Goettel.

The first recorded bearer of the surname was Johannes Gothel, a guilder in 1498. In the sixteenth century, many members of the Göthel family moved from Franconia to Austria and Bohemia. Here, the name was often anglicized as Goethal and some branches of the family relocated to the United States during the mid to late nineteenth century.

The Göthel name has become associated with loyalty and stability, and families bearing the name are often said to have been deeply devoted to their faith. This meaning of loyalty is evident in the figurative phrase “treu wie ein Göthel” which translates to “true like a Göthel”. Additionally, most of the original Göthel families were located in small towns and villages throughout Germany, suggesting that many of them built a strong and enduring bond with their local communities.

Today, the Göthel surname is still found in many parts of Germany, the United States, and Austria. In America, the surname is often associated with professions such as carpentry and stonemasonry, illustrating how even centuries after its origin, the Göthel name is still connected to its core meaning of “loyalty” and “stability.”

Göthel: Where does the name Göthel come from?

The last name Göthel is most commonly found today in Germany and Austria. It is a German surname derived from the words "Göt" and "heilig," which together translate to "sacred god."

In Germany, the name is most concentrated in Bavaria, specifically in the regions of Upper and Lower Franconia and Bavarian Swabia. In Austria, the name is concentrated in the federal states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Vienna.

Within Germany, the name Göthel is relatively rare, with only about 650 individuals bearing this surname. In Austria, there are slightly more individuals with the name Göthel, though not by much. In total, the surname Göthel is found in small numbers in both Austria and Germany.

Though the name Göthel is mainly a German/Austrian surname, it has been given to certain people in other countries over the years. Emigrants from Germany and Austria brought the name to the United States and Canada, and it can be found in these countries today as well.

Overall, the last name Göthel is not common throughout the world, but it most certainly still exists. Its origins in Germany and Austria make it a unique, yet connected name across different countries and cultures.

Variations of the surname Göthel

Göthel is an occupational surname of German origin, used to refer to a goldsmith. Variants of this name refer to similar occupations and can be spelled in a couple of different ways, such as Goethe, Göthke, Goethel, Göthle, Göttel, Goethle and Goetke.

The name Göthel is traditionally found in the region of Bavaria in Germany, and is thought to be derived from the Old Germanic word for “smith.” As far as variants of Göthel, the most common variants of the name are Goethe and Goethke. Many of the surnames that are connected to Göthel have a similar connotation and also come from the same Germanic word.

Due to regional differences in spelling between dialects, some variants may use a second “t” in the spelling, such as Göttel and Göthle. While the single letter ‘t’ is more commonly found in Germany, the double letter variant is found more in Austria.

The name Göthel may also be spelled without the German umlaut, which is a type of vowel found in many Germanic languages. This particular version is found in Switzerland and is also known as Goetle, Göttle, Goetke, Goethle and Goethel.

Overall, all of these surnames, spellings and variants of Göthel all trace back to the same origin and refer to an occupational surname for goldsmiths. While they may vary in spelling due to regional dialects, they all refer to the same surname.

Famous people with the name Göthel

• Jannik Göthel: Professional football player that plays for VfL Bochum as a forward.
• Uwe Göthel: Professional sailor who has won the German National Championship four times.
• Rocco Göthel: Former professional football player for 1.FC Kaiserslautern and Rot-Weiss Essen.
• Konrad Göthel: Professional cyclist and two-times German National Champion in road race.
• Max Göthel: Professional tennis player who competed at the French Open in 1936 and 1939.
• Fritz Göthel: German journalist and Editor-in-Chief at the Ostdeutsche Rundschau.
• Konrad Göthe: Writer and sculptor who was associated with the German Expressionist movement.
• Gerhard Göthel: Member of the German Bundestag and representative of the Christian Democratic Union.
• Elke Göthel: German television actress who is best known for her roles in various TV series.
• Berthold Göthel: German-born cinematographer who won an Emmy Award for his work on the TV series The Leadheads.

Other surnames

GötheGöthemann