Surname Diekau - Meaning and Origin

Diekau: What does the surname Diekau mean?

The last name Diekau is a German name which is thought to have originated from when the bearer was from or worked in a small area of land such as a farm. Indeed, the root word of Diekau - die Kaut - was formerly used to describe such an area of land, and the surname’s literal meaning may very well be “from the land”.

The first recorded mention of the Diekau surname was in 1607, when a man named Ambrose Diekau appears as a witness in an affidavit regarding an agreement on an inherited estate located in the Parochialdecanat region of Hildesheim, Germany. It is likely that Diekau was a relatively common name amongst the area’s inhabitants due to its origin being from the nearby geographic regions and farms.

Due to the prevalence of the Diekau name in Germany, the German immigrants that arrived in North America in the 19th century carried the surname with them. Initially, Diekau may have been a more commonly encountered name in North America along the East Coast, due to the fact that the majority of German immigrants were settling across the Eastern seaboard.

The Diekau surname carries an inherent sense of pride and is very much steeped in traditional German culture. Even to this day, the name is still relatively common throughout Germany and America, and typically associated with descriptions such as reliable, dependable and trustworthy.

Diekau: Where does the name Diekau come from?

The last name Diekau is most common today in the northern and eastern parts of Germany, with some records of the name popping up in Denmark and the Netherlands. It is a fairly uncommon name overall, and does not appear to have seen a wide spread in modern times.

The Diekau family is believed to have originated in the German duchy of Saxony, where at least some had received noble titles. The coat of arms of the Diekau family displays a golden lion on blue, and includes the heraldic motto of the family “In Duty, In Honour". It is believed that the motto was first adopted by a 17th century baron, Hans Diekau Sen.

The name is most commonly seen in rural areas of Germany where the family held areas of land known as settlements. Some Diekaus have however migrated to the US and Canada, resulting in some records of the name existing in these countries.

In German, the word “Diekau” means wooded valley or ancient woodland, which is an accurate representation of the rural regions where Diekaus have maintained a presence. It also has some roots in water, with “Die” being an abbreviation of the old German word meaning “water”, and “Kau” meaning “valley”.

Though the last name Diekau is no longer as common as it once was, it remains a noticeable presence in certain parts of Germany among other countries, and remains a part of the Diekau family heritage.

Variations of the surname Diekau

The surname Diekau is derived from the name Dicke, which is a North German locational surname. Diekau is a variation of Dicke and is mostly used in western Germany, while Dicke is more commonly found in the east. The variants and spellings of the surname Diekau include Dycke, Dyck, Dick, Dickau, Dieck, Deek, Deick, Dyke, Dickow, and Dieckau.

The surnames that have the same origin as Diekau include Dickel, Dyckner, Decken, Dickebusch, Dyx, Dyckmann, Dickat, Dykema, Dickmann, Dickert, Dykster, Dicken, Dix, Attidick, Dickmeyer, Dyks, Dyckhoff, Dyckman, and Diekow.

The surname Diekau is often confused with the surname Dyck, however they are not the same. While they share a similar origin and have some variants that are spelled very similarly, the surnames are not interchangeable. The pronunciation and spelling of Diekau and Dyck are slightly different, with Dyck typically being pronounced with a harder ‘k’ sound than Diekau.

Famous people with the name Diekau

• Joern Diekau: German Paralympic race runner
• Paul Diekau: German Canoeist
• Josef Diekau: Austrian Canoeist
• Max Diekau: German Cross country cyclist
• Gustav Diekau: German long-distance runner
• Mathias Diekau: German Canoeist
• Jens Diekau: German Cross-country skier
• Andi Diekau: Austrian Cross country skier
• Julian Dieckau: German Soccer player
• Tyler Diekau: American Taekwondo practitioner
• Damir Diekau: Austrian Canoeist
• Alexander Diekau: German Taekwondo practitioner
• Theo Diekau: German Taekwondo practitioner
• Kay Diekau: German retired Soccer player
• Steve Diekau: German Football manager

Other surnames

DiekampDiekämper