Our research into the well-known name Mehl brings us to Germany’s largest state Bavaria, which has its origin in the ancient tribe of the “Bajuvaren”. They settled here after the Romans ceased their occupation in 500A.D. Despite resistance from the Bavarian Duke Tassilo, the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne incorporated Bavaria into his empire in 788 A. D. Bavaria reverted to its former status of a dukedom, coming under the control of the house of Saxony, then Franconia, and finally the Welfen family dynasty. The Welfen family enjoyed the peak if their power under Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria and Saxony, from 1156 to 1180, until the Wittelsbach house gained power. The smaller Bavaria joined the German Empire in 976. Most of the German ducal house held the imperial crown, such as the Wittelbacher Ludwig the Bavarian, who was elected Emperor in 1314.
After separating from the Ostmark, now Austria, the ducy of Bavaria was ruled by the Wittelbach dynasty from 1180 until 1918, when Germany became a republic. Interestingly, most Austrians are of Bavarian origin, and although Bavaria eventually lost its control over its southern neighbor, it gained through a pact with Napoleon the regions of Franconia, a section of Swabia, and a part of the Palatinate, and become a kingdom in its own right in 1806.
During the Middle Ages the name has been found in Wurtemberg and Bavaria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name Mahler became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system and the nation.
Extensive research into the history and development of names has shown that the spelling of a surname varies greatly over time. In the mediaeval period, when very few people knew how to write, a name was often recorded in official documents by scribes between father and son. It was also common in Germany to add phrases to a name, in order to express something about a person’s place of origin, religious background, or even character. Among the many variations of the name Mehl we find Mahler, Maler, Mahl, Mahle, Male, Mal, Maller, Mahler, Mehler, Mailer, Mayler, Maylor, Mailor, Mailar, to name a few examples.
From the 6th to the 12th century, the city of Regensburg was the residence of the Bavarian dukes. Another notable city is Augsburg, one of Germany’s oldest cities founded by the Romans, as well as an important European trading center. Nuremberg was the cultural and economic center of the Empire, and a later residence of the Emperor.
Meanwhile bearers of the family name Mehl emerged in Wurtemberg, were they continued to be an important contributor to the life of Europe in the middle ages. From the 16th century onwards the name branched to Austria. They held significant positions of prestige and power becoming involved in the racial and tribal struggles for supremacy. They were elected to the ranks of the nobility when Anton Mahler became an important member of the Wurtemberg state government in 1723 and when Sigmand Mahler received the title von Malenstein in 1807. Prominent among the surname Mehl in this early period were Sigmand Mahler.
In modern Bavaria the present capital is Munich, whose tremendous display of museums and galleries, not to mention the castle of Nymphenburg, is owed mostly to the generosity of Ludwig I, King of Bavaria and patron of the arts. The renowned tradition of German craftsmanship also has its place in Bavaria; in Augsburg the first mobile artillery was produced as well as important treaties and parliaments. Nuremburg, where the pocket watch was invented, was the site of the first German railway in 1835. Wagner’s opera, “Die Meistersinger”, portrays the famous singing contests that took place in this historic city.
Modern Bavaria is also known for its world-famous Oktoberfest, that celebrates the national pastime; the drinking of the local beer, an enjoyable tradition that is always popular with tourists from around the world. The Bavarian dialect, as with other southern German languages, has had the greatest influence in shaping our modern “Hochdeutsch” (standard Germans).
Many inhabitants of this region sought their fortunes in the New World of North America began in 1650, where many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, while in Canada, German settlements centered around the province of Ontario and the Prairie regions. Settlers of the name Mehl were Conrad Mahler settled in Pennsylvania in 1767; Heinrich Ludwig Mahler settled in America in 1850 with his wife and family; Heinrich Wihelm Mahler settled in Pennsylvania in 1749; Johan Heinrich Mahler, his wife, and three sons settled in St. Louis, Mo. in 1860.
In our modern period, members of the name Mehl achieved prominence, including Norman Mailer, U.S. author and social commentator, and many other of the surname made important contributions to society on both sides of the Atlantic.
Research has determined the above Coats of Arms to be the most ancient recorded for the family surname Mehl.
Information on this page was gathered by
Hall of Names Inc.