Surname Rölecke - Meaning and Origin
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Rölecke: What does the surname Rölecke mean?
The last name Rölecke (sometimes spelled Röleck) is widely distributed in Germany and has been referred to since the Middle Ages. It is most likely derived from the Germanic word "rohl", which means "red". This may be related to the German verb "roden", meaning "to clear or to dig up", suggesting an occupational name for a digger of canals or ditches.
Other possible origins of the name include it being derived from the Old German personal name Roli or Rolek, which were popular during the Medieval period. It may also be a variant of the German name Röhl, which could be a locational name from a place called "Rohle", in the Harz region of Saxony.
The current spelling of the name is found predominantly in west Germany, but was mainly used up until the mid-19th century. Variants of the name include Röleck, Röllecke, Rölleck, Röleke, Röhlke, and Roelke.
The name could be an apt-description for a colourful character, or simply a mark of an individual doing well in their chosen field. Whatever its origin, the diverse approaches to this enigmatic family name have left researchers pondering the true source of this most alluring of German surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisRölecke: Where does the name Rölecke come from?
The last name Rölecke is a German surname, found mainly in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It may also be found in other parts of Europe, as well as in the United States and Canada. The name is more common in certain parts of Germany, with the name occurring more frequently in northern Germany, particularly in the states of lower Saxony and Nordrhein-Westfalen, but it can be found across the country.
In Germany, there are more than 3600 people with the surname Rölecke, and it ranks among the 500000th most popular surnames. Outside of Germany, the surname Rölecke is most common in the United States and Canada, where it’s estimated that about 3700 people with the surname live.
In the United States, Rölecke is found most frequently in the states of New York, California, Florida, and Texas, with smaller communities in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and several other states. In Canada, Rölecke is most common in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia, and particularly in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary.
The Rölecke family also has a long history in the United States, with some of the earliest immigrants arriving in the late 19th century. It is believed that some of the first Röleckes migrated to the United States from Germany and Austria, while some may have immigrated from France and other parts of Europe.
Overall, the last name Rölecke is most commonly found in German-speaking countries and the United States, though a few smaller communities can be found in Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Rölecke
The surname Rölecke has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common spellings are Rölecke and Röleck. Other variants include Röleck, Rölleke, Rollke, Rolek, Rollik, Roleck, Roelke, Roelick, Roelik, Roelke, Roelck, Roellik and Rollke.
In addition to these forms, the surname has been anglicized to Rheubleck, Rheubelke, Rheubelle, Rheubleke, Rubelek and Rubeleke.
The name can be identified as deriving from old German or Dutch sources, with the surname potentially stemming from several places such as Rölecke in Westphalia.
Some of the earliest record of the surname mentioned the Cunrad de Rönecze, who was included in the list of merchants in the Hamburg archives in 1252, and a Gerd de Roleke who was mentioned in Dithmarschen in 1291.
In Poland, the surname's variants include Roeleski, Roelicki and Roelicki. The surname can also be found in various other European countries such as Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden.
In America, the spelling of the name often changed according to localised pronunciations, resulting in alternative PG surname spellings such as Roelke, Ruolke, Roelcke and Rolllke.
In summary, the surname Rölecke has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, including versions in many different countries and languages.
Famous people with the name Rölecke
- Florian Rölecke: German footballer
- Clemens Rölecke: German lawyer and politician
- Wolfgang Rölecke: German sculptor
- Claus Rölecke: German footballer
- Dirk Rölecke: German hockey player
- Haldore Rölecke: German biologist
- Lothar Rölecke: German physical therapist
- Agnes Rölecke: German botanist
- Wilhelm Rölecke: German painter and theologian
- Charlotte Rölecke: German computer scientist
- Christel Rölecke: German journalist
- Winfried Rölecke: German athlete
- Andreas Rölecke: German banker
- Peter Rölecke: German composer
- Ulla Rölecke: German anthropologist
- Marlies Rölecke: German politician
- Klaus Rölecke: German photographer
- Bernd Rölecke: German professional musician
- Thomas Rölecke: German professional photographer
- August Rölecke: German art director