Surname Deal - Meaning and Origin
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R. Deal
read moreDeal: What does the surname Deal mean?
The last name Deal is of Anglo-Saxon origin and its earliest known records come from villages named "Deal" in Kent and Devon in England. It is derived from the Old English word “dæl," which means “valley” or “dale”. This indicates that the original bearers of this name likely lived in or near a valley, thus it is a topographic surname. Families would adopt the name of places with local significance or natural features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. In some cases, the name may have been used for someone who dealt in commodities, in line with the Middle English word "dele", meaning to divide or distribute. Just like many other English surnames, Deal has multiple variations such as Deel, Deele, Dale, etc. As surnames were often recorded based on their phonetic spellings, these changes and others occurred over time.
Order DNA origin analysisDeal: Where does the name Deal come from?
The surname Deal has both English and German origins.
In England, the name is locational, derived from the town of Deal in Kent. The town's name is believed to come from the Old English word “dæl,” meaning valley or dale. Hence, people who migrated from this town were often called Deal to denote their origin.
In Germany, Deal is a topographic name for someone who lived in a valley, again from the Old German word “dæl” or “thäl,” which also means valley. It can also be an occupational name for a roofer or builder, from the Middle Low German word 'deel' which means ‘shingle’ or ‘board’.
In the United States, Deal is most common in the state of Georgia, followed by North Carolina, according to the 2014 U.S. white pages data. However, the surname is relatively rare, and therefore does not show a clearly defined geographic distribution. The surname is also found in parts of England (especially Kent, from where it originated), Canada, and Australia, though it is not particularly common in these countries.
Variations of the surname Deal
The surname Deal is considered to have originated from Gaelic and Brittonic languages. It likely refers to historical “dale” or “valley” denoting those who lived in or near such geographical formations.
Other common spellings and variants of this surname include Deale, Deel, Dealee, Deeal, Deall, Dealle, Diel, Deele, Dheal, and Dheale. These spelling variations are likely due to the way surnames evolved over time, based on phonetic and regional factors.
Moreover, Deal could also be traced back to German and Dutch ancestry, where "Diehl" or "Diehle" is a recognized variant spelling. The surname in these connections is often considered to have evolved from "Thiel", a popular first name during the Middle Ages.
Also, there are numerous Deal families connected with the larger Dalton Clan, hence the Dalton-Deal variant is found among some branches of the family.
It should also be noted that Deal may have been anglicized from other non-English surnames with similar sounds or meanings, which makes the exact origin difficult to pinpoint precisely.
Always understand there are many reasons for the variation in such surnames, ranging from clerical errors to a deliberate change in spelling to migrate socially.
Famous people with the name Deal
- Kim Deal: An American singer, songwriter and musician. She was the bassist and co-vocalist in the alternative rock band Pixies, before forming The Breeders in 1989.
- Kelley Deal: An American musician and singer. She is the lead guitarist of The Breeders and is the identical twin sister of Kim Deal.
- Kevin Deal: An American country music artist.
- Nathan Deal: An American attorney and politician who served as the 82nd Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 2011 to 2019.
- Bubba Deal: An American actor known for his roles in "Wild in Blue" and "Round of Your Life".
- William Deal: A member of The Ohio Express, a bubblegum pop and garage rock band that formed in Ohio in 1967.
- Charlie Deal: Was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston Braves.
- Bill Deal: Was an American musician who played rock and roll in the beach music style.