Surname Kortenkämper - Meaning and Origin

Kortenkämper: What does the surname Kortenkämper mean?

The last name Kortenkämper is a German occupational name. It was derived from Middle High German words meaning “short apron”, hence it originally referred to somebody who made or sold short aprons (from the Latin word cortina meaning “curtain”).

In German-speaking areas, the variant forms of this name include Kortenkamp, Kortenkampf and Kortenkämper. This surname is primarily from the Lower Rhineland region, and is mostly found in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

This surname is also found in the modern Netherlands, and is carried by people of Dutch descent. In the Netherlands, the surname is traditionally spelled Kortenkamp which is phonetically identical to the German spelling.

In the United States, Kortenkamp is the most common spelling of the name. It can be traced back to several immigrant families who arrived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nowadays it is found across the United States.

Generally speaking, Kortenkämper is a German surname of occupational origin, associated with an ancestor who was a maker or seller of short aprons. It can be found in both Germany and the United States.

Kortenkämper: Where does the name Kortenkämper come from?

The last name Kortenkämper is most commonly found in Germany, particularly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, both located in the western part of the country. The name is thought to come from the German words korte (short) and kämper (fighter), which together imply a short-statured fighter. The name has been found in records dating back to the 1700s.

Today, Kortenkämper is still a popular name in Germany. According to the official German register, over 5,000 people in Germany have the last name, and most of them are concentrated in the two aforementioned states. Offshoots of the Kortenkämper name can also be found in other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil.

Within Germany, the majority of people with the name Kortenkämper live an urban lifestyle, with Cologne, Düsseldorf, Münster, and Bonn having the highest concentration of people with the last name. While traditional occupations such as farming or manual labor still exist amongst some of the Kortenkämper family, the great majority have a profession such as doctor, lawyer, banker, or civil servant.

In conclusion, the last name Kortenkämper is still quite common in Germany, particularly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. Offshoots of the name can also be found in other parts of the world, but the majority are concentrated within Germany, with most living an urban lifestyle.

Variations of the surname Kortenkämper

Kortenkämper is a surname originating from Germany, but variants of the name can be found all over the world.

In Germany, the surname is also found as Kortenkamp, Kortenkamper, Kortenkampen, Kortenkampf, Kortenkampff, Kortenhof, Kortenholz and Kortenkopf.

In the United States, the Kortenkämper surname is often spelled Kortenkamp, Cortenkamp, Cortenkamper, Cortenkampf, Cortenkampff, Cortenhof, Cortenholz and Cortenkopf.

On records in other countries, such as in France or England, the Kortenkämper surname can be found as Cortinkamp, Cortinkamper, Kortenkamp, Kortenkamper, Kortenkampf, Kortenkampff, Kortenhof, Kortenholz and Kortenkopf.

In Poland, the surname is often spelled as Korzenkamper, Kortenkamper, Kortenkampf, Kortenkampff, Kortenhof, Kortenholz and Korthopf.

Surnames that derive from the same origin are also Korteland, Kortemeyer, Kortmann, Klingenkampf, Krauskamper, Körte, Körten and Körtje.

Famous people with the name Kortenkämper

• Heidi Kortenkämper: German actress, known for Here I Am (2016), Marienhof (1992) and So wie Du warst (1999).
• Martin Kortenkämper: German singer, songwriter, and producer.
• Heiko Kortenkämper: German actor, known for Night of the Living Dead (1990) and The Cloud (2006).
• Hanna Kortenkämper: German actress and singer, worked with Aktenzeichen XY (1997), Rent a Porsche (2007) and many more.
• Bernward Kortenkämper: German drummer and composer, known as the bass guitarist for the popular band Die Cappuccinos.
• Detlef Kortenkämper: German artist, known for his sculptures exhibited in several prominent galleries.
• Ulf Kortenkämper: German actor, most famous for his role in Everyman Band (1997) and 3000 Miles (2001).
• Mirko Kortenkämper: German actor, known for Insight (2001), Gangs of Berlin (2002) and Plan D (2004).
• Julia Kortenkämper: German actress, known for her roles in the popular TV series Alarm für Cobra 11 (1996) and He's Our Man (1998).
• Flo Kortenkämper: German musician, worked with acts like The Exploding Boy and The Notwist.

Other surnames

Kortenkamp