Surname Menken - Meaning and Origin
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Menken: What does the surname Menken mean?
The last name Menken is of Dutch or Low German origin. Meaning “the little man” or “the man”, the name is derived from a diminutive form of the name Maenen, which was used as a personal name by people living in regions formerly known as the Low Countries, which included modern day Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
The earliest records of the name Menken appear in records which date back to the 15th century in the Netherlands, particularly in the province of Utrecht. By the 19th century, people with the surname Menken were common in Holland, as well as Germany, and Belgium.
Today, the Menken surname is common in many countries, thanks to a process of migration, particularly intent by people with the surname to make a new life in the Americas, Australia or elsewhere.
People with the Menken surname often have a strong sense of justice, and passion for law and politics are often among the characteristic traits of those bearing the name. Indeed, the name Menken is generally associated with great learning and a commitment to knowledge, as well as many examples of public service.
Order DNA origin analysisMenken: Where does the name Menken come from?
The surname Menken is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States of America. Records show the Dutch version of the name to be Mennink, with the German version of Menke being predominant in Germany. The name is also found in places such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and England.
In America, the Menken surname is mostly concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast. In the 1880s, records showed that the highest concentrations of the Menken surname were in New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. More recently, Wisconsin and Illinois had the highest concentrations of the Menken surname.
In addition to America, records from the Netherlands in 2020 showed Menken to be the 365th most common surname. Records from Germany in 2018 showed Menke to be the 405th most common surname. In 2021, records from Poland showed Menken to be the 8,337th most common surname in that country.
The Menken surname has Dutch and Germanic roots. In older records, the name is sometimes spelled Menkena, Menche, or Mennicke. The name is believed to come from a combination of the ancient personal name Menne, combined with the suffix -kin to show a diminutive form of the personal name. It is believed that this combination formed the surname, with similar names forming in other language forms over time.
The current estimated population of people with the Menken surname is at around 40,000 worldwide.
Variations of the surname Menken
The surname Menken has various spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common are Menken, Menke, Manke, Meinken, Maniken, and Mincken. Some other variants of the surname include Manchen, Maenken, Meenken, Mincken, Meneken, Menick, and Manken.
The Menken surname originated in Germany. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word “mannchen,” which means “little man.” This surname was likely adopted by someone who was unusually short or small in stature.
Other geographical variants of the Menken surname include the Dutch Menken, the English Manken, and the Danish Menken.
The Menken surname is distributed throughout North America, where there is a substantial presence in the United States and Canada. The surnames Menke and Manke are also common in the German-speaking countries of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
The Menken spelling is also relatively common in Dutch and English-speaking countries. Additionally, Menken is present in Spain, Italy, and Scandinavia.
Many Jews who immigrated to the United States have adopted the surname Menken as well. In some cases, Jewish families with this surname have shortened it to Men or Menk. Those of Spanish descent may also opt for the variation Manke or Monke.
Overall, the surname Menken has many spellings and variants of the same origin. However, regardless of the particular spelling, all variants of this name share the same meaning: little man.
Famous people with the name Menken
- Alan Menken: Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist, best known for his scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.
- Lawrence Menken: Lawrence Menken is a prominent civil rights attorney who has represented some of the nation’s most respected and accomplished citizens.
- Barry Menken: Barry Menken is an American composer, producer, and arranger, and is best known for his television work on shows like Unsolved Mysteries and for writing songs featured in such films as Footloose and Adventures in Babysitting.
- David Menken: David Menken is an American stage, film, and television actor, most recently seen as the lead in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!
- David Menkin: David Menkin is an American actor who has appeared on several films, television shows, and plays.
- Michael Menken: Michael Menken is an accomplished cinematographer and director, and is well known for his work on both independent and studio films.
- Neil Menken: Neil Menken is an American screenwriter and filmmaker, best known for his work writing and directing the drama feature films Everlasting and Ourselves Alone.
- Steven Menken: Steven Menken is an American professional baseball pitcher, currently a free agent.
- Ted Menken: Ted Menken is an American contemporary artist, best known for his touch-sentient “prose-sculptures” that investigate the perception of time.