Jon and Joe,

Joe's explanation is right and it is wrong. 'Hell' now means bright (in both senses of the word), but that's not where our family name comes from.

It is a Bavarian name and like so many German surnames is a placename. 'Hell' designated a very deep and narrow dale (just as in the middle ages the people pictured the entry to Hell). So Alois (to chose an old first name) Hell was Alois (to differentiate him from other Aloises) coming from a very deep and narrow dale. That means my surname is actually closely related to the English word Hell (though in a secular sense). We have similar surnames Hoelle and Hoell (both today meaning Hell).

But usually, when travelling in English speaking countries, I use Joe's explanation. It makes life easier for me.

Wolfgang