Surname Engelke - Meaning and Origin
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Unravelling my Roots with iGENEA: A Emotional Journey into the Engelke Surname
The journey with iGENEA’s DNA testing was an emotional rollercoaster, starting with curiosity and apprehension and culminating in exhilaration and awe. It’s redefined my understanding of my family roots and the Engelke surname, transforming them from abstract concepts into tangible connections with a rich past.
F. Engelke
read moreEngelke: What does the surname Engelke mean?
The last name Engelke originates from Germany or the Netherlands. It is a patronymic surname created from the given name Engel, which derived from the Proto-Germanic element angil, meaning “angel.” It was likely used to denote a person of angelic faith or an angelic personality, which is where the surname Engelke came from. The name spread to other parts of the world, being found in various parts of Europe, especially in German speaking countries, and even the United States.
Interestingly enough, the Engelke name is associated with a few famous people. These would include German actors such as Otto Engelke, noted for roles in The Great Escape, and Gerd Engelke, known for TV dramas such as The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum. The famous Dutch scientist Dirk Engelke is another well-known Engelke.
The surname Engelke is usually considered to be an occupational name or a nickname, which adds another layer to the notability of the surname. Numerous people had the Engelke surname by working in the agricultural industry and then taking that name as their own surname, which seems to have been widely popular among the Germans.
In essence, the last name Engelke is a name given to those that possessed an angelic personality. It is associated with notable people from both Germany and the Netherlands, as well as occupational names derived from the agricultural industry. It is a surname with both a traditional meaning and a more modern context, that is both historically relevant and carries a unique meaning associated with the commodities of faith and work.
Order DNA origin analysisEngelke: Where does the name Engelke come from?
The last name Engelke is most common in Germany and other nearby countries. According to the website Forebears, Engelke is ranked as the 1,333rd most common last name in the world. In Germany it is even more common, ranking as the 154th most common surname.
Engelke is also found in greater numbers in the Netherlands, ranking 28th in terms of popularity. In Denmark, the surname is more common still, ranking as the 13th most frequent surname.
Engelke is even more rare in the United States, where it ranks at a lowly 34,112th in terms of population frequency. This surname is also lesser used in other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It does appear there, however, but is likely uncommon.
The surname Engelke is thought to be derived from the Middle High German words “angel” or “angelak”, meaning “one with an angelic person”. Over time it has evolved in spelling and pronunciation, but still retains its origins.
Overall, the last name Engelke is still relatively common today, particularly in central and north-western Europe. It is less commonly found in other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, while still managing to retain its presence.
Variations of the surname Engelke
Engelke is a German surname derived from the word “angel”. There are many variant spellings and slight variations of the surname, such as Angele, Angeli, Angelie, Engel, Engle, Engleke and Engleking.
Angelle is a French variant of the name, and Engel is also popular in the Netherlands, Austria, and Lithuania. It traces its roots back to the indogermanic –angel–, which can also be found in the English word “angels”.
In German-speaking regions, an Anglicised version of the surname is Anglick or Anglicke. In some places, the surname ‘Engelke’ gets translated into English as ‘Angle’. In Dutch, the surname is spelt as Engel or An sleek.
In Germany, it can also be found in quite a few variations, including Englemann, Engelman, Engler, Engles, Englcher and Englicker. Depending on the region, the Angliceking/engelking surname can also be spelt with a k at the end.
In Poland, due to the influence of German language, spelling variations such as Englickiewicz, Anglikowski, Ancley and Anglia can be found.
There are also less common variations including Angelike, Anglig, Angloff, Anglor, Angla, and Engelkeitor. Other Angli-inspired last names include Angiss, Anglase, Angotrop, Angas, Angrus, and Engell.
All these surnames can be traced back to a single common source – the German name Engel.
Famous people with the name Engelke
- Anke Engelke: A German comedian, actress and voice actress
- Christina Engelke: A Brazilian actress
- Corinna Engelke: A former German discus thrower
- John Engelke: An American television actor
- Karen Engelke: An American television journalist
- Laura Engelke: A German rower
- Lena Engelke: An American professional basketball player
- Oliver Engelke: A former German professional football player
- Peter Engelke: An American television journalist
- Robert Engelke: An American cardiothoracic surgeon