Mendel 1

Mendel is a surname derived from the given name Mendel. The given name Mendel originated as a Yiddish diminutive of Manno and is now used as a diminutive of Menahem. The root name Manno is a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element man meaning "person, man" (from Proto-Germanic *mannô).

As a Jewish surname, Mendel is often associated with Ashkenazi communities. The name also gained widespread recognition through the work of Gregor Mendel, whose pioneering studies in genetics, published in the 1860s, later earned him the title "father of modern genetics." However, it is critical to note that Gregor Mendel (born Johann Mendel) was not a bearer of this surname, but his adoptive name Mendel has become synonymous with the field. Variant forms of the surname include Mendelson, Mendelsohn, Mendelssohn, and others containing the patronymic suffix - son/- sohn, indicating "son of Mendel."

• Meaning: Diminutive of Menahem or Manno, originally meaning "person, man"
• Origin: Yiddish, Germanic
• Type: Surname
• Usage: Historically Ashkenazi Jewish, German