Surname Heincke - Meaning and Origin
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Heincke: What does the surname Heincke mean?
The last name Heincke is derived from the English given name Henry and derived from the Germanic name Heimirich, meaning “ruler of the home” or “power of the home.” The variation of Heincke is thought to have appeared in the mid-1500s, as German immigrants arrived in the United States. This surname is often found throughout Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic, as well as the United States.
Early records suggest that the Heincke surname was often abbreviated from the full name, especially for immigrants that sought a new life in America. The abbreviation of the name could be traceable to the Heintzel family found in the village of Holzheim in the mid-1700s as evidenced by available church records.
There is a long family tradition among the Heincke surname, as evidenced by the headstones found in the Sacred Heart Church Cemetery in Holzheim, Germany. Each headstone boasts the first name and family surname so that the living could display their family pride. The tradition of the surname Heincke has been passed down through the centuries with many families keeping the same last name in spite of their different religious beliefs.
The Heincke family continues to hold a great deal of pride in their surname, placing importance on the meaning of the name, and the many contributions it has made to the throughout history.
Order DNA origin analysisHeincke: Where does the name Heincke come from?
The last name Heincke is most commonly found in Germany, particularly in northern Germany and the areas around the city of Hamburg. Historically, the name Heincke was first found in Brandenburg, Pfalz, and Saxony, and is generally thought to have descended from a medieval Germanic naming element, hagan, meaning hedge.
The Heincke surname can also be found in other countries in Europe, particularly in France, Denmark, England, and Poland. As more people began to emigrate from Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, the name Heincke spread further around the globe, particularly to North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
The largest population of Heincke's today can still be found in Germany where approximately 4,500 individuals bear the name. Moreover, the website Forebears, which gathers tribe, surname, and population data from around the world, ranks Heincke 9,205th in the world in terms of population, with over 8,000 individuals in the Heincke family.
Variations of the surname Heincke
The surname Heincke has multiple variant spellings and surnames, including Hencke, Hincke, Heynck, Heyncke, Hennecke, Hinke, Hynke, Henke, Henkie, and Heinke. Each of these surnames stems from the Proto-Germanic word "haimaz" which means "home".
The surname Heincke originated in the northern German region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is sometimes believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "hinke" which means "slowly, brittle, mellow".
The Hencke variant of this surname can be traced back to the 1100s and the Hincke variant can be traced to the 1500s. Typically, the name is associated with much older roots and is likely to have been originally in use among ruling German families.
The earliest known appearance of this surname is recorded in the 13th century when the name Heincke was given to a man from the town of Lindhorst, which is near Hanover. In 1586, a man named Magnum Hencke was recorded in Pressburg, Germany.
The Heincke surname is one of the oldest recorded names in Germany. Its variants have spread all over Europe and the United States where it has been variously spelled and used as a given name or surname.
Famous people with the name Heincke
- Thorsten Heincke: German politician
- Jochen Heincke: German actor
- Helga Heincke: German actress
- Carsten Heincke: German former philanthropist
- Sigrid Heincke: German actress
- Uwe Heincke: German former football player
- Kay Heincke: German businessman and author
- Paul Heincke: German actor
- Alexander Heincke: German physicist
- Berhard Heincke: German painter