Surname Raichel - Meaning and Origin
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Raichel: What does the surname Raichel mean?
The last name Raichel is an Ashkenazic Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew word "Re'u (רעו)" meaning friend. This word is found in the Biblical Book of Job 2:11, "So his three friends answered Job and said, “We cannot make one word against you, for you have spoken right concerning God." Therefore, the surname can be traced back to someone who was thought of as a friend.
The origin of the surname dates back to the 13th century when persecution of Jews in Germany became a regular occurrence. At this time, many Jews were forced to adopt surnames as a means of distinguishing them from the general population. These surnames often had to be chosen from a select list of Ashkenazic names, usually Biblical or Yiddish words. Thus, the surname Raichel was born.
In modern times, those bearing the surname Raichel can be found all over the world in places with Jewish populations. In some cases the name may have changed and be combined with others, but the original Hebrew origin remains.
Raichel is a strong name of friendship and determination in the face of adversity, passed down through time as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish people.
Order DNA origin analysisRaichel: Where does the name Raichel come from?
The last name Raichel is a rare one today, and it is traditionally of Jewish origin. It is found most prominently in Israel; a 2009 study found that there were some 3,230 Jewish Israelis with the name Raichel. In particular, it is most commonly found in the center of the country, with the largest concentrations being in Tel Aviv and its surrounding communities, and Jerusalem and its surrounding communities. In the United States, Raichel is also relatively uncommon. The 2000 U.S. census found only 177 people with the name Raichel living in America. The states that had the highest populations of Raichels were California, New York, and New Jersey. In addition, there were also smaller numbers of Raichels in Massachusetts, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Raichel can also be found in the United Kingdom, where the numbers are much smaller. The 2011 UK census found just 30 people in England and Wales with the last name Raichel. It is also found in Canada, where the largest concentrations were found in the province of Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia.
Variations of the surname Raichel
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Raichel are Rachael, Rachel, Richel, Racel, Rachil, Ruchal, Raichelson, Raichelowitz, and Raichelman.
Raichel is a Jewish patronymic name, which is a surname derived from the male given name, typically the father’s given name. The root of the surname Raichel is the Hebrew name ‘Rach’, meaning ‘ewe’. This gives the name Raichel an even more meaningful interpretation; a beloved ewe.
Raichel is spread throughout the United States of America and the world, hailing from Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and the Middle East. The variants of the surname include spellings from the countries based on their native language rituals. For instance, Raichel can be spelt Racel or Rachel in France, Rachil in Israel, Ruchal in Poland, and Rachel in some English speaking countries.
The Raichel family also has surname variants, ending with ‑son (Raichlson), ‑witz (Raichelwitz), ‑man (Raichelman). The suffixes were added in order to transform the name to be more compatible with its language area, sometimes even changing its pronunciation. For example, ‑mann in Germany, ‑itz in Russia, ‑nen in Finland, or ‑son in Scandinavia. As such, families with Jewish European ancestry might have different spellings and surnames of the same origin; Raichel.
Famous people with the name Raichel
- Idan Raichel: Israeli singer-songwriter, musician, and producer
- Michael Raichelson: American bass-baritone opera singer
- Mark Raichel: American comedian
- Georgi Raichel: Bulgarian football midfielder
- Yoni Raichel: Israeli singer and multi-instrumentalist
- Osnat Raichel: Israeli social entrepreneur
- Isaac Raichel: Brazilian–Israeli historian, author, and public intellectual
- Jessica Raichel: American singer-songwriter and actress
- Meir Raichel: Israeli judge
- Yael Raichel: Israeli singer-songwriter and guitarist