Type Surname (from given name, from occupation & ornamental)
Usage German, Dutch, Jewish, Low German, Medieval Dutch, Yiddish
Other Forms FormsApprecht, Albrecht, Apel, Epl
Meaning & History
1. German: from the personal name Appel, a pet form of Apprecht (common especially in Thuringia and Franconia), itself a variant of Albrecht. 2. German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Low German Ap(p)el, Middle Dutch appel, or Yiddish epl ‘apple’, hence an occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit. As a Jewish surname, it is generally ornamental rather than occupational. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant spelling of Apel.