Surname Pauwel - Meaning and Origin

Pauwel: What does the surname Pauwel mean?

The last name Pauwel is of Dutch origin. It is derived from the personal name "Paul," which was derived from the Greek name Paulos. The name Pauwel is derived from the Dutch word pauw, meaning "peacock." The offshoot of Paulos is fairly common across most of Europe and the United States.

In some cases, the last name Pauwel is further derived from the French word Paulin, which is itself derived from the Latin word paulus or “little.” In French the word paulin means “someone who is small or of short stature”. This secondary derivation gives the Pauwel last name associations with smallness, strength, or average stature.

Pauwel was originally a patronymic name, a name derived from one’s father, so it would have indicated that the original bearer was the son of a Paul or Paulus. This surname is most commonly found in the Netherlands, particularly in the northern regions.

The Pauwel surname is found as both a given name and a surname. People with this surname can be traced to the 18th century, and it is still carried on today. The name is mostly associated with strong ties to family, community, and loyalty. People who bear the Pauwel name may want to carry on the legacy of strength, loyalty, and the importance of family.

Pauwel: Where does the name Pauwel come from?

The surname Pauwel is mainly found in Belgium today. It is mainly associated with Flanders, a region in the northern part of the country. In particular, the name is largely located in the provinces of Antwerp, East Flanders, and West Flanders. It is also found in other parts of the country in lesser numbers. The name has become somewhat less common over the last several decades, but it is still quite ubiquitous in the region.

Beyond Belgium, the surname can also be found in other European countries, as well as the United States and Canada. In the United States and Canada, Pauwel is most commonly found in the areas of Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. In Europe, it is particularly found in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France.

In many cases, the name is likely derived from the German-derived name Paulow, which itself has variants such as Paulus and Pauwels. It's possible that the surname thus descended from immigrants from the Germanic regions of Europe who settled in Northern Europe centuries ago, changing over time and producing variants such as Pauwel.

Because of its history in Northern Europe, the Pauwel surname likely has Dutch- and German-based origins, although changes over time mean that the spelling and meaning are now quite different in many countries. Whatever its origins, the surname is still an important part of Belgian cultural heritage and is common in its original homeland of Flanders today.

Variations of the surname Pauwel

The surname Pauwel (also spelled Pauwels and Pauel) is mainly found in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. It is derived from the Latin personal name Paulus, which is the French form of Paul. Historically, Pauwel is an ancient Dutch and Flemish name for someone who was small of stature and allegedly derived from the Middle Dutch word "pauwel", meaning "small".

Variants of the surname Pauwel include Paul, Pauel, Paule, Pauls, Paula, Paulsen, Paulus, Pauly, and Paulin. Spellings for the surname Pauwel include Pauel, Pauly, Paule, Paulin, Paulsen, and Pauls. Surnames of similar origin include Paul, Paulus, Paulyn, Paulyne, Paulynne, Pauwels, Paulin, Pauline, Pal, Paoletti, Paulet, Paoli, and Palu.

The surname Pauwel is most common in the Netherlands and Belgium. Other countries with a large Pauwel population include the United States, Canada, South Africa, Germany, and France. Pauwel is also found in Scotland, Ireland, Austria, and even in some parts of Indonesia.

To date, Pauwel is a common Dutch and Flemish surname among those with Belgian and Dutch ancestry, as well as those of other European descent. It is an ancient name, steeped in history and evidence of its usage has been uncovered since the Middle Ages. It is also a name which can be traced all over Europe.

Famous people with the name Pauwel

• David Pauwels, Belgian footballer
• François Pauwels, late Belgian journalist
• Guillaume Pauwels, Belgian novelist
• Heather Pauwels, English singer
• Maureen Pauwels, Belgian cyclist
• Robert Pauwel Labrijn, Dutch fashion designer
• Luc Pauwels, Belgian professor of marketing
• Ellen Pauwels, Belgiums first female zoologist
• Joseph Pauwels, Belgian painter
• Jan Pauwels, Belgian composer and pianist

Other surnames

PauwelsPauwen