Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
As an east German surname, it comes from Lower Sorbian Bartyl.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In English usage, Thiel as a surname is an affectionate form of Dietrich.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1923. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Thiel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5
- 5 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1923
- 5 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1923. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,453 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Thiel’s family of names
In English usage, Thiel as a surname is an affectionate form of Dietrich. In German usage, Thiel has a conventional equivalent in the Russian form Тиль. In English usage, Thiel has a related form in Doll.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Thiel has relatives in 4 languages.
14 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Dietrichfull form · English
- Tillvariant · English
- Dollvariant · English
- Dillvariant · German
- Dullvariant · English
- Diehlvariant · German
- Thielkevariant · German
- Thielekevariant · German
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Thiel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Berl
>99% boys
Odell
“a sweet melody” · “one who is wealthy”
98% boys · 2% girls
Russel
“a little red-haired boy”
>99% boys
Christ
“[the] anointed [one]”
98% boys · 2% girls
Vergil
“the staff-bearer”
>99% boys
Hershel
“resembling a deer”
>99% boys
Ottis
“a wealthy man” · “one who is acute”
>99% boys
Herschel
“resembling a deer”
>99% boys