the Family CREST
Blazon of Arms: argent, three roses gules, stalke and leaved vert, in chief
two axes in saltaire azure, handles in base or.
translation: Argent (white) symbolizes the Moon, and denotes Purity, Innocence,
Integrity, Eloquence and Obedience.
The rose, first cultivated by the Romans, symbolizes Beauty and
Everlasting Love.
transcription of words on "Family Name History" document
The German family name MODELL is classified as being of personal name origin.
According to scholars the "oldest and most pervasive type of surname is that derived from a given name". Such family names may be derived from a parental first name or from the font name of the grandfather or indeed a more remote ancestor of the original bearer of the surname. With regard to the family name MODELL, it indicates "son of Model", a variant of the Old High German "Muodilo", which is , in turn, a double diminutive of various compound first names derived from the Old High German "muot", meaning "desire, wish". Variants of the surname MODELL include Model, Mudel, Mottel, and Muttl.
One of the earliest references to this name or to a variant is a record of one Berthold Model, who is listed as a citizen of Reutlingen in documents from 1291. Balthasar and Martha Model are mentioned in records from Goldlauter, Saxony, in 1561 and Andreas Modell, son of Andreas Modell and Anna Himmer, was born in Geisingen, Villingen, Baden, on October 29th, 1678, and their daughter, Anna Maria, was born on July 15th, 1706. Christoph Modell married Margaretha Buerglin, also in Geisingen, on October 17th, 1690. The wedding of Dominicus Model and Maria Barbara Feuerstein took place in Waldsee, Wurttemberg, on January 29th, 1757 and Christian Model, son of Christoph Model, was born in Loyen, East Prussia, in 1764. Nineteenth century records document the marriage of Carl Modell to Dorothea Hermann which event took place in a Catholic Church in Freiburg, Baden, on the 15th of May, 1879.
There is also an entry on "Model" in the Encyclopedia Judaica.
I don't know of any connection to us, but there is a Modell Township in Norton County, KS (PO est. 3-21-1878 (105 years to the day prior to my wedding day); PO discontinued 7-17-1882(107 years to the day before my dad died!!). There is a cemetery there.
Modell "clans": (distant) relatives-that-might-be
In the years in which I've been looking for relatives, I have encountered a number of individuals who all share the surname Modell (or a variant). Some of the Modell Clans are:
- clan Modell/Modellis/Modell-Berlin: This is the clan I'm part of, which traces back only as far as Samuel Modell (or Modell-Berlin). It includes my Modellis cousins in South America.
- clan "Modelevski": This family group is most clustered in the upper MidWest (Minnisota and Wisconsin), and (I was told) when their ancestor(s) emigrated from Russia, the surname "Modelevski" (sp?) was shortened to "Modell". I have met several individuals of this clan over the years. (Charles and I were at UF coincidentally)
- clan "Modells": This family group clusters in the US NE and Middle Atlantic states, includes some very prominant people.
- clan "Motl": This family group includes the only other Howard Modell I know (and we've had occasion to chat), and I was told their surname was originally "Motl" (or something similar).
- clan "Norway": This family group is large and can be found in Scandanavia (the several individuals with whom I've exchanged mail (Hallgeir Modell) are all in Norway). From what I've been told traces itself back to Germany.
- clan "Model": I don't know too much about this group except that, again, it seems to originate in middle Europe.
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