Meaning and origin
The last name Angel has its origins in Old English, specifically deriving from the word "engel," meaning angel. It was likely used as a nickname or given name to individuals who were perceived as being angelic or having angelic qualities. The surname Angel may have originated in England, and it is also found in various other countries as a result of migration and the spread of the English language. Overall, Angel is a name that reflects a connection to spirituality and the celestial realm.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,428
Angel was the 1,428th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 24,895 people, about 8.1 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Angel
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Angel is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.