Surname Wittke - Meaning and Origin
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An Intimate Voyage into My Ancestry: Unveiling the Complex Story behind the Wittke Surname through iGENEA DNA Test
Recently I took an iGENEA DNA test for a direct insight into my ancestral background related to the surname Wittke. The results unfolded a captivating narrative revolving around the integral connection of this surname to Germanic cultures and unexpected ties to eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions through the J2 haplogroup.
S. Wittke
read moreWittke: What does the surname Wittke mean?
The surname Wittke is derived from the German word “witte,” which means “white” or “blond.” It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for a person with fair hair. It has since become a surname, used by families across Germany and the German diaspora.
The Wittke surname is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It was used to denote those of noble birth or a person of rank in the community. Those with the Wittke surname would usually be wealthy and prominent within their society.
In more recent times, the Wittke surname is still commonly found in Germany, as well as in other parts of Europe. There are also many Wittke’s who have emigrated to the United States and Canada.
Today, the Wittke surname is still found across many different countries and is generally considered to mean a person of various social rankings. Those who have the surname are believed to be hardworking, ambitious, and have a strong sense of community and social responsibility. Wittke is often described as a proud, powerful name with an ancient, rich history.
Order DNA origin analysisWittke: Where does the name Wittke come from?
The last name Wittke is most commonly found in Germany. According to the German phonebook, there are currently over 600 people with the last name Wittke in the country, mostly concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony. It is also likely to find people with the last name Wittke in other parts of Europe, as Germany's close European neighbors have historically had high levels of immigration from and to Germany.
Because of their German origin, Wittkes could also be found in places with big German communities, like the United States or Argentina. Research from the US Census Bureau estimates that 1,479 people with the last name Wittke live in the United States, making it a relatively common last name in the country. This large number of Wittkes in the US is likely because of the big waves of German immigrants that came to the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
As for other countries, we can’t be sure of the exact numbers, but we do know anecdotally that there are Wittkes in places like Canada, South America, and Australia, as German immigrants also traveled there in large numbers.
Variations of the surname Wittke
Wittke is a surname of Germanic origin. It is derived from the personal name Wichard, itself derived from the Old High German words 'wîh' meaning ''holy'' and 'harti' meaning ''hardy'' or ''brave''.
Variants and spellings of the surname include Wichardt, Wichard, Wicht, Wijk, Wikke, Wyk, Witk, Wittke, Witkow, Witsche, and Witschel.
Surnames that have the same origin as Wittke include Wicht, Wichtl, Wichmann, Wichtel, Wicker, Wickman, Wieder, Wiedmeyer, Wychopen, Wygand, Wykowski, Wysoker, and Wysong.
The Wittke surname has numerous variants in other languages because of its Germanic roots. Variants in other languages include the Dutch Wijck, the French Wicq, and the Polish Wyczko, Wyk and Wyka. There are also spelling variants such as Wichk, Wik, Wyk, Wyks, Wichs, Wich, Wicke, Wygand.
The Wittke spelling is most prevalent in Germany, Poland, the United States, Canada, England, and Ireland. It can also be found in other countries.
Famous people with the name Wittke
- Paul Wittke (German novelist)
- Bjorn Wittke (German lawyer and politician)
- Peter Wittke (German artist)
- Leon Wittke (German sculptor)
- James Wittke (American actor)
- Christina Wittke (German chess master)
- Jennifer Wittke (American Olympic swimmer)
- Maria Wittke (German amateur soccer player)
- Anna-Katharina Wittke (German female handball player)
- Christian Wittke (German artist)
- Ingo Wittke (German Paralympic swimmer)
- Lisa Wittke (German football player)
- Bettina Wittke (German Olympic figure skater)
- Thomas Wittke (German television personality)
- Alexander Wittke (German mathematician)
- Agnes Wittke (German songwriter and music producer)
- Heinrich Wittke (German writer)
- Kurt Wittke (German chess master)
- Arthur Wittke (Swiss-German painter)
- Helmut Wittke (German radio journalist)