Abel Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Abel last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Abel last name
Meaning of the Abel last name: breath. Abel is an English surname from the biblical personal name Abel, Hebrew Hevel, "breath". The last name was common in medieval England. It is also found in Germany and Scandinavia, but the English line crossed early to New England and is widespread in the United States today.
Arms associated with the Abel name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Abel name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Abel family history
This is only a glimpse of the Abel story. The full Abel history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Abel coat of arms. Get the full Abel report.
Abel name FAQ
What does the Abel name mean?
breath. Common variants include Able, Abell.
Where does the Abel surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Abel coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Abel coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).