Slagle
A German surname most likely related to Schlegel, meaning “smith’s hammer” or “mallet,” with English spellings simplified over time.
The #4,135 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 36,014 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname is generally understood as an Americanized spelling of German Schlegel. In German, Schlegel can refer to a mallet, hammer, or striking tool, and it is often treated as an occupational or nickname surname connected with a maker or user of such a tool. The historical spelling Slagle reflects the common simplification of German sch to s or sh in English-speaking countries.
History
The surname appears in immigrant families from German-speaking Europe, where spellings were often adjusted after arrival in the United States. Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century surname writers noted Slagle as a simplified form of Schlegel. It is well established in the U.S., though not especially common nationwide.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname guides explicitly grouped Slagle with other German names that lost their initial sch- sound when Anglicized.
From the historical record
“Slade. Slced, a slade, plain, open tract of country. Slagle SlcEge, slaying, slaughter ; el, indicative of a per- son. A slayer ; a murderer. Slater. Slat, slit ; ere, an agent. One who slits, or cuts. Slauch. Slcec, slack, slow, remiss, idle, sleepy.”
— Family Names from the Irish, Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Scotch