View Message

There is Theil, Theile, Theilen, Thelen, Thiel, Thiele, Thielecke, Thielen, Thielke, Tielmann, Thielsch etc. and all these names are rather widespread in Germany. They all go back to a short form of given names with the Germanic element "thiot" (people), for instance Dietrich.
This is taken from: Rosa und Volker Kohlheim, Familiennamen, Mannheim 2000