Michels
A patronymic surname meaning “son or family of Michel,” with Michel itself coming from Michael.
The #4,875 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,733 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Michels is a patronymic surname formed from Michel, a vernacular form of Michael, with the added -s meaning “of” or “belonging to” in many Germanic surname traditions. The base name Michael comes from the Hebrew Mikha'el, meaning “Who is like God?” In the historical sources, Michels is explained simply as “Michel’s (son)” or as a family-name form meaning “of the Michaels.”
History
The name appears across German, Dutch, and related naming traditions, and it also occurs in English records as a surname derived from the given name Michel. German sources treat Michels alongside other Michael- based patronymics such as Michelsen and Michaelis. In English-language surname books, it is usually grouped with other surnames formed from the personal name Michael rather than from a place or occupation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In some surname dictionaries, Michels is listed right next to other Michael-family forms such as Michelsen and Michaelis, showing how widely the same first name generated different surnames across Europe.
From the historical record
“Walter Michel.— /fM«rf. Rolls. MICHELS, Michel's (Son) : V. Michel. MICHIE, a Scot, double dim. of IVIJchael, q.v. MICHOLS = Michaels, q.v. MICKELl (Eng. and Scand.) Big, Great MICKLE f [O.E. micel = O.N. mikilf] For the eldridge knighte, so mickle of mighte. — Sir Cauline, 63.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)