Family name origins & meanings
- North German : from a pet form of Dietrich.
- South German : topographic name from Middle High German telle ‘gorge’, ‘depression’. The name of the Swiss hero Wilhelm Tell has not been explained.
- North German (mainly Westphalia) : topographic name from Middle Low German telg(e) ‘branch’, ‘twig’, ‘undergrowth’.
- Catalan : topographic name from tila ‘linden’ (Latin tilia), denoting someone who lived near a conspicuous linden.