Surname Candel - Meaning and Origin
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Candel: What does the surname Candel mean?
The last name Candel is of Spanish origin. It is derived from the Latin word candle, meaning “light” or “torch”. The name is believed to have first been used by the early Christian settlers in Spain, who wished to pay tribute to the religious symbolism of light. Today, the last name is associated with vision, guidance, and enlightenment, reflecting the spiritual meaning behind the name. In terms of genealogical records, Candel is a relatively rare last name. It mostly appears in records dating from the 16th and 17th centuries when individuals with the last name began to settle in the Americas.
In more modern times, the Candel surname has been distributed around the globe with families living in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Notable examples of the Candel last name include Mexican author Guillermo Candelas and Brazilian ophthalmologist Antonio Marcos Candel. The etymological roots and the long history of the Candel surname reflect how the power of a name can be passed down through multiple generations and connect families across time and place.
Order DNA origin analysisCandel: Where does the name Candel come from?
The surname Candel is a common last name in France, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. In France, it is believed to have originated in Normandy and is believed to have derived from the Latin term candela meaning “light” or “candle”. It is also found in Italy and Romania.
More recently, the surname has become popular in North and South America as more Spanish-speaking people move to those regions, with more than half of the bearers now living in Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, and the United States. Candel is also fairly common in France, despite its mostly regional origin; in 2014, almost 8,000 people in France had the last name.
In Brazil, the Candel surname is most often seen within the Portuguese-speaking communities. It has also been adopted as an anglicized version of the similar-sounding “Canales”, which is a common surname amongst Hispanics in Central and South America.
Candel is a common surname in Canada as well, primarily in the areas of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, but its lineages are mixed with French-speaking, English-speaking, and Spanish-speaking peoples.
Overall, the Candel surname is fairly common in many countries across the world, likely mostly attributed to the distribution of Spanish-speaking people emigrating from Central and South America.
Variations of the surname Candel
The surname Candel is of Latin origin, from the Latin word candela, meaning candle or torch. It can be found in its original spelling of Candel or Candell, as well as in many variants and other spellings.
Variations of the Candel surname include Candela, Candelari, Candelero, Candelli, and Condell.
In Spanish and Portuguese contexts, the surname is also written Candal, Candalero, Candellero, and Condal.
In Italian, the surname is Cangialosi, Candilia, Candeloro, Candelori, Candeloro, and Candeloro.
In France, there are several additional variants, including Candelier, Candellier, Candeleux, Candelle, Chanderlier, Chandellier, Chandelle, and Candelouse.
Lastly, in the Germanic countries, it is found in the variant spellings Candilan and Candlen.
Surnames of the same origin as Candel include Conder, Condell, Candell, and Candler. All of these surnames are derived from the Latin candela, and they may have been adopted in different languages and cultures around the world, leading to the many different spellings and variants.
Famous people with the name Candel
- Luis Candel: Former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain from 1996-1998.
- Silvana Candel: Professional volleyball player from Venezuela and four-time winner of the Italian Championship.
- Santiago Candel: Argentinian former footballer who started his career at Boca Juniors.
- Antonio Candel: Spanish avant-garde painter and sculptor.
- Piers Candel: British art historian and director of the National Gallery of Scotland.
- Violeta Candel: Spanish singer-songwriter, pianist and poet.
- Manuel Candel: Cuban novelist, playwright and film producer.
- José Candel: Chronological astronomer from Spain, best known for his work on the Fernando de Aguilar Calendar.
- Edwin Candel: Dutch former footballer who played for De Graafschap and FC Twente.
- Roberto Candel: Argentinian professional basketball player who has competed in both the European and South American leagues.