Abel can be either a German or English surname. The German variant of the surname is a patronymic name, derived from the

Old German Old High German (OHG; ) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally identified as the period from around 500/750 to 1050. Rather than representing a single supra-regional form of German, Old High German encompasses the numerous ...

personal name Abel, which means "noble one." The German variation does not appear to be derived from the biblical name Abel. The surname is associated with

Swabia Swabia ; , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of Swabia, one of ...

, in the southwest of Germany. Notable people with the surname include:

Arts

Alan Abel Alan Irwin Abel (August 2, 1924 – September 14, 2018) was an American hoaxer, writer, and mockumentary filmmaker famous for several hoaxes that became media circuses. Education and early career Abel was born to a Jewish family in Zanesville ...

(1924–2018), American prankster and writer *

Alfred Abel Alfred Peter Abel (12 March 1879 – 12 December 1937) was a German film actor, director, and producer. He appeared in more than 140 silent and sound films between 1913 and 1938. His best-known performance was as Joh Fredersen in Fritz Lang' ...

(1879–1937), German film actor, director, and producer *

Bernhard, Arnold, and Florian Abel The brothers Bernhard Abel and Arnold Abel were sculptors and Florian Abel a painter in the middle of the 16th century. In 1561, Bernhard and Arnold worked for the Imperial Court in Vienna. On 28 April, they signed a contract on the completion o ...

, two sculptors and a painter in the 16th century * Clamor Heinrich Abel (1634–1696), German baroque composer **

Christian Ferdinand Abel Christian Ferdinand Abel (July or August 1682, Hanover, Holy Roman Empire – buried 3 April 1761 (or 1737?), Köthen, Holy Roman Empire) was one of the most famous German Baroque violinists, cello, cellists and especially viol virtuosos. Hi ...

(1682–1761), German baroque composer, son of former ***

Carl Friedrich Abel Carl Friedrich Abel (22 December 1723 – 20 June 1787) was a German composer of the pre-Classical period (music), Classical era. He was a renowned player of the viol, viola da gamba, and produced significant compositions for that instrument ...

(1723–1787), German classical composer, son of former * Clementine Abel (1826–1905), German writer *

David Abel (cinematographer) David Abel (15 December 1883 – 12 November 1973) was a cinematographer. Biography Born in Amsterdam to Russian parents, Abel began his career in 1916. He came to the United States as a child in the first decade of the 1900s and worked as a po ...

(1884–1973), American cinematographer *

Ervin Abel Ervin Abel (8 November 1929, Narva – 16 March 1984, Tallinn) was an Estonian actor. In 1953 he graduated from GITIS' Estonian studio. 1953–1966 he worked at Estonian Drama Theatre and 1966–1984 at Estonian SSR State Philharmonic (nowadays ...

(1929–1984), Estonian actor * Inga Abel (1946–2000), German actress *

Jack Abel Jack Abel (July 15, 1927 – March 6, 1996)
at the

Jake Abel Jacob Allen Abel (born November 18, 1987) is an American actor. He has appeared in the film adaptations of the young adult novels '' Percy Jackson'' (2010–2013), ''I Am Number Four'' (2011), and '' The Host'' (2013), along with portraying mus ...

(born 1987), American actor *

Jessica Abel Jessica Abel (born 1969) is an American comic book writer and artist, known as the creator of such works as ''Life Sucks'', ''Drawing Words & Writing Pictures'', ''Soundtrack'', ''La Perdida'', ''Mirror, Window'', ''Radio: An Illustrated Guide' ...

(born 1969), American comics writer *

John Abel (carpenter) John Abel (1578/79 – January 1675) was an English carpenter and mason, granted the title of 'King's Carpenter', who was responsible for several notable structures in the ornamented Half-timbered construction typical of the West Midlands. Joh ...

(1578/9–1675), English master carpenter * Josef Abel (1768–1818), Austrian painter and etcher *

Ludwig Abel Ludwig Abel (14 January 1835 – 13 August 1895) was a German violinist, composer, and conductor. Life Born in Eckartsberga, Province of Saxony, he was a pupil of Ferdinand David. He became a member of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and in 18 ...

(1834–1895), German violinist, composer, and conductor *

Mari Abel Mari Abel (born 14 January 1975 in Rapla) is an Estonian actress. In 2004 she graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Since 2004 she worked at the Von Krahl Theatre. Later, she became a freelance actress. Besides theatre roles s ...

(born 1975), Estonian actress *

Morten Abel Morten Abel Knutsen (born 15 October 1962), better known by his stage name Morten Abel is a Norwegian pop artist, and one of Norway's best-selling domestic artists. Career Morten Abel was born and grew up near Bodø, but moved to Stavanger ...

(born 1962), Norwegian singer *

Myriam Abel Myriam Morea also known as Myriam Abel (born Myriam Abdel Hamid, 15 May 1981 in Saint-Gratien, Val-d'Oise, Saint-Gratien, France) is a French singer of Algerian descent who rose to popularity after winning ''Nouvelle Star, Nouvelle Star 3'', the ...

(born 1981), French singer * Robert Abel (1937–2001), American visual effects artist * Robert H. Abel (1941–2017), American author * Rudolph E. Abel (1902–1974), American film and television producer *

Sam Abell Sam Abell (born 1945) is an American photographer known for his frequent publication of photographs in ''National Geographic (magazine), National Geographic''. Life Abell was born in Sylvania, Ohio. His father, a geography teacher, ran a photo ...

(born 1945), American photographer *

Steve Abel Stephen George Bremner Abel is a New Zealand politician, environmental activist and musician who is involved with Greenpeace. Since 2023 he has served as a list member of parliament for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Activism Abel ...

(born 1970), New Zealand singer-songwriter and environmental activist *

Walter Abel Walter Abel (June 6, 1898 – March 26, 1987) was an American stage, film, and radio actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Life Abel was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Christine (née Becker) and Richard Michael Abel. Abel ...

(1898–1987), American actor *

Yves Abel Yves Abel (born 1963) is a Canadian conductor. Career Abel was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of French parents. He made his professional debut as a boy, singing solo in Mozart's ''The Magic Flute'' at the Canadian Opera Company. He studie ...

(born 1963), Canadian conductor *

Zak Abel Zak David Zilesnick (born ), better known professionally as Zak Abel, is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He has also been an English Cadet national table tennis champion. He's known for several songs, such as "Be Kind", "Unstable" ...

(born 1995), English singer/songwriter, musician, and table tennis player

History

Annie Heloise Abel Annie Heloise Abel (February 18, 1873 – March 14, 1947) was an American historian who was among the earliest professional historians to study Native Americans. She was one of the first thirty women in the United States to earn a PhD in history ...

(1873–1947), British historian * Caspar Abel (1676–1763), German theologian, historian and poet * Heinrich Friedrich Otto Abel (1824–1854), German historian *

Sigurd Abel Sigurd Abel (4 June 1837, Leonberg – 9 January 1873, Leonberg) was a German historian from Stuttgart. Education Abel visited the seminary of Maulbronn and the college of Stuttgart. He then followed the steps of his cousin Heinrich Friedric ...

(1837–1873), German historian

Mathematics, science and technology

Félix-Marie Abel Félix-Marie Abel (29 December 1878 – 24 March 1953) was a French archaeologist, a geographer, and a professor at the École Biblique in Jerusalem. A Dominican priest, he was one of the most prominent bible scholars in the end of Ottoman era ...

(1878–1953), French archaeologist, geographer and professor *

Frederick Abel Sir Frederick Augustus Abel, 1st Baronet (17 July 18276 September 1902) was an English chemist who was recognised as the leading British authority on explosives. He is best known for the invention of cordite as a replacement for gunpowder in ...

(1827–1902), chemist who made a special study of explosives *

John Jacob Abel John Jacob Abel (19 May 1857 – 26 May 1938) was an American biochemist and pharmacologist. He established the pharmacology department at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1893, and then became America's first full-time professor o ...

(1857–1938), American pharmacologist *

Kathryn Abel Kathryn M. Abel is a British psychiatrist specialising clinically in resistant schizophrenia and gender-specified service developments. She is co-chair of the Office for Life Sciences and National Institute for Health Research, NIHR National Lead ...

(born 1961), British clinical psychologist *

Niels Henrik Abel Niels Henrik Abel ( , ; 5 August 1802 – 6 April 1829) was a Norwegian mathematician who made pioneering contributions in a variety of fields. His most famous single result is the first complete proof demonstrating the impossibility of solvin ...

(1802–1829), Norwegian mathematician *

Othenio Abel Othenio Lothar Franz Anton Louis Abel (20 June 1875 – 4 July 1946) was an Austrian paleontologist and evolutionary biologist. Together with Louis Dollo, he was the founder of " paleobiology" and studied the life and environment of fossilized ...

(1875–1945), Austrian paleontologist * Ted Abel, American neuroscientist *

Theodore Fred Abel Theodore Fred Abel (November 24, 1896 – March 23, 1988) was an American sociology professor who collected the largest single archive of first person accounts from people who joined Hitler's National Socialist movement. The collection of men's a ...

(1896–1988), American sociologist *

Tom Abel (cosmologist) Tom Abel (born 1970) is a German cosmologist who first simulated the collapse of a metal-free massive star that belongs to the first generation of stars in the Universe. This work was done in collaboration with Greg L. Bryan and Michael L. No ...

(born 1970), German astrophysicist * Wolfgang Abel (1905–1997), German anthropologist

Medicine

Clarke Abel Clarke Abel (5 September 1780 – 24 November 1826) was a British surgeon and naturalist. He accompanied Lord Amherst on his mission to China in 1816-17 as the embassy's chief medical officer and naturalist, on the recommendation of Sir Joseph ...

(1780–1826), British surgeon and naturalist * Friedrich Gottfried Abel (1714–1794), German physician and son of Caspar Abel

Politics

Donald Abel Donald "Don" Clarke Abel (born February 4, 1952) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the riding of Wentworth North from 1990 to 1 ...

(born 1952), Canadian politician * Hazel Abel (1888–1966), American politician * Helena Bonguela Abel (born 1957), Angolan teacher and politician *

I. W. Abel Iorwith Wilbur Abel (August 11, 1908 – August 10, 1987), better known as I. W. Abel, was an Americans, American trade union, labor leader. Early life and career Abel was born in Magnolia, Ohio, in 1908, to John Franklin Abel, a German ...

(1908–1987), American labor leader * John Abel (Australian politician) (1939–2019), Australian politician *

Johnny Abel Johnny W. Abel (January 1, 1947 – October 13, 1995) was a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a ...

(1947–1995), Canadian politician *

Karl von Abel Karl von Abel (September 17, 1788 – September 3, 1859) was a Kingdom of Bavaria, Bavarian statesman. Born in Wetzlar, Abel was the son of a wikt:procurator, procurator at the superior Court of Justice. He studied law in Gießen from 1806-1809, a ...

(1788–1859), Bavarian statesman * Leighton Abel (1900–1975), American businessman and politician *

Søren Georg Abel Søren Georg Abel (3 January 1772 – 5 May 1820) was a Norwegian priest and politician, also known as the father of mathematician Niels Henrik Abel. Personal life Søren Georg Abel was born on 3 January 1772 in Mo, Telemark as the son of Hans M ...

(1772–1820), Norwegian priest and politician *

Valentin Abel Valentin Abel (born 7 February 1991) is a German Free Democratic Party politician. He was a Member of the Bundestag from Baden-Württemberg from 2021 to 2025.. Early life and career Abel was born in Künzelsau and graduated from the Univers ...

(born 1991), German politician

Religion

* Caspar Abel (1676–1763), German theologian, historian and poet *

Elijah Abel Elijah Abel, or Able or Ables (July 25, 1808– December 25, 1884)Grave Marker of Elijah Abel. (Inscribed front). :File:ElijahAbelGraveFront.jpg was one of the earliest African-American members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...

(1810–1884), Elder and Seventy in the Latter Day Saint movement *

Shlomo Zalman Abel Shlomo Zalman Halevi Abel (1857–1886) was one of the founders of the Telz Yeshiva and author of ''Beis Shlomo''. Biography Abel was born March 11, (15 Adar) 1857 at Novomyesto-Sugint (now Žemaičių Naumiestis) in the Kovno Governorate of t ...

(1857–1866), Lithuanian rabbi *

Thomas Abel (martyr) Thomas Abel (or Abell) (ca. 1497 – 30 July 1540) was an English priest who was martyred during the reign of Henry VIII. The place and date of his birth are unknown. He was educated at Oxford, where in 1516 he took the degree of Master of ...

(c. 1490–1540), English priest

Sports

Anicet Abel Anicet Abel Andrianantenaina (born 13 March 1990) is a Malagasy professional Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Bnei Reineh F.C., Maccabi Bnei Reineh and Captain (association footbal ...

(born 1990), Malagasy footballer *

Bobby Abel Robert Abel (30 November 1857 – 10 December 1936), nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship. He was the first England player ...

(1857–1936), British cricketer *

Chris Abel Christopher Robert Abel (28 April 1912 – 15 September 1986) was a association football, footballer who played in the Football League for Bradford City A.F.C., Bradford City and Leeds United F.C., Leeds United. He was born in Gorton, Manchester ...

(1912–1986), English footballer *

Florian Abel The brothers Bernhard Abel and Arnold Abel were sculptors and Florian Abel a painter in the middle of the 16th century. In 1561, Bernhard and Arnold worked for the Imperial Court in Vienna. On 28 April, they signed a contract on the completion o ...

(born 1989), German footballer * Fred Abel (1903–1980), American football player * George Abel (1916–1996), Canadian ice hockey player * Gerry Abel (1944–2021), American ice hockey player * Graham Abel (born 1960), English footballer * Hans-Joachim Abel (born 1952), German footballer *

Jacob Abel (racing driver) Jacob Abel (born March 9, 2001) is an American racing driver who competes in the IndyCar Series driving the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing. He previously competed in Indy NXT for Abel Motorsports. Junior racing career Lower formulae Abel be ...

(born 2001), American racing driver *

Jennifer Abel Jennifer Abel (born August 23, 1991) is a Canadian former diver. She is currently partnered with Mélissa Citrini-Beaulieu for synchronized diving. She won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 3 m synchro diving ev ...

(born 1991), Canadian Olympic diver *

Katrine Abel Katrine Louise Abel (born 28 June 1990) is a Danes, Danish Association football, football Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper who plays for Brøndby IF (women), Brøndby IF of Denmark's Elitedivisionen. In 2015, she won her first Cap ( ...

(born 1990), Danish footballer *

Mathias Abel Mathias Abel (born 22 June 1981) is a German retired footballer who played as a defender. Football career Abel was born in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. After starting with amateurs Eintracht Bad Kreuznach and having a spell with Borussi ...

(born 1981), German footballer *

Mick Abel McLean Stine "Mick" Abel (born August 18, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Abel was selected by the Phillies in the first round with the 15th overall pick of the 202 ...

(born 2001), American baseball player *

Sid Abel Sidney Gerald Abel (February 22, 1918February 8, 2000) was a Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame ice hockey, hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Detroit Red Wings, and was a member ...

(1918–2000), Canadian hockey player and coach * Sten Abel (1872–1942), Norwegian Olympic sailor *

Taffy Abel Clarence John "Taffy" Abel (May 28, 1900 – August 1, 1964) was an American professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1926 and 1934. Born in 1900 in Sault S ...

(1900–1964), American ice hockey player * Thomas Abel (footballer) (born 1974), Danish footballer * Tom Abel (cricketer) (1890–1937), first class cricketer *

Torsten Abel Torsten Abel (born 2 January 1974 in West Berlin) is a former German triathlete who later competed for the United States. Athletic career Triathlon since 1991 Abel was born in Charlottenburg, Berlin, grew up in Weiler-Simmerberg and contested h ...

(born 1974), German triathlete * William Abel (1887–1934), English cricketer

Other

* Carl Abel (1837–1906), German philologist *

Elie Abel Elie Abel (October 17, 1920 – July 22, 2004) was a Canadian-American journalist, author and academic. Early life Born in Montreal, Quebec, Abel received a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University in 1941 and a Master of Science in journa ...

(1921–2004), Canadian-American journalist, author and academic *

Greg Abel Gregory Edward Abel (born June 1, 1962) is a Canadian businessman, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and vice-chairman of non-insurance operations of Berkshire Hathaway since January 2018. On May 3, 2025, it was announced that he wil ...

(born 1962), Canadian businessman *

Iorwith Wilbur Abel Iorwith Wilbur Abel (August 11, 1908 – August 10, 1987), better known as I. W. Abel, was an American labor leader. Early life and career Abel was born in Magnolia, Ohio, in 1908, to John Franklin Abel, a German blacksmith, and Mary A ...

(1908–1987), American labor leader * Jacob Friedrich von Abel (1751–1829), German philosopher, teacher of Schiller *

Richard Abel (lawyer) Richard L. Abel (born September 13, 1941) is a professor of law (now emeritus), a specialist in African Law Studies and a renowned socio-legal scholar. He received his B.A. from Harvard University (1962), his LL.B. from Columbia University (196 ...

, professor of law * Rudolf Abel, an alias of

Vilyam Genrikhovich Fisher Rudolf Ivanovich Abel () was the alias of William August Fisher (11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971), a Soviet intelligence officer, created to alert his Soviet KGB handlers when Fisher was arrested in the USA on charges of espionage by the FBI ...

(1903–1971), Soviet spy

References

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