Surname Thierke - Meaning and Origin
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Thierke: What does the surname Thierke mean?
The surname Thierke is a German name, derived from the old German word “thier” which means animal. It is an occupational name that would have been used to describe the profession of an animal farmer or breeder. The name could have also been used to describe an animal husbandman or a shepherd.
In addition, Thierke might also be derived from the Old High German word “Thiereh” which stands for ‘pigs’, indicating someone who raised pigs. This suggests that people with the last name Thierke could have also been pig farmers or breeders.
The surname was first found in East Prussia, and it was documented as early as the 1500s. It can be found in Silesia, Prussia and Poland which were all part of the German-speaking region known as East Prussia.
The hereditary line of Thierke can be traced to the old Teutonic tribes of Central and Eastern Europe. These tribes were mostly responsible for the settlement of the German-speaking regions known as East Prussia.
Today, the Thierke surname is still commonly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other Eastern European countries. Additionally, there are many descendants of East Prussian Thierkes in the United States and other countries outside of Europe.
Overall, the last name Thierke is a German occupational name that would have been used to describe someone who raised or bred animals. It has its roots in East Prussia, and is still commonly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other European countries today.
Order DNA origin analysisThierke: Where does the name Thierke come from?
The last name Thierke is a German surname found among modern day registries throughout Europe. It has a long history, originating in the early medieval period during the feudal German kingdom. Thierke began as a hereditary name connected to a noble family of German ancestry, and today it is found among several countries in Europe such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
It is rather common in Germany, with a frequency of nearly 500 individuals with the Thierke name. This outnumbered by only the most popular German last names such as Müller, which appears over 17,000 times. The name has only recently become popular in Austria, appearing in the top 50 ranking of surnames with a population of about 3,000 people carrying the name.
In North America, the widespread immigration of over a century ago meant that many Europeans ended up settling in countries such as the United States and Canada, bringing their surnames with them. This means that there are several people in North America with the name Thierke.
The Thierke surname is not exclusive to Europe and North America, however, with people bearing the name being found throughout the world. Crete, Indonesia, Australia, and even Africa are just a few of the far-reaching countries where the name has popped up over the years. The genetic history of the last name Thierke has mainly been traced back to its original family, but given the extent of its modern day reach, it is likely that it may have been adopted from other unrelated families of German extraction over the centuries.
Variations of the surname Thierke
The surname Thierke is of German origin, and likely derived from the low German word ‘thierken’, meaning loyal or faithful. Variations of the name Thierke, or surnames of similar origin, include:
Tirke: This is the most common variation of the surname Thierke found throughout Germany. It is believed to come from the Old German words ‘tirke’ or ‘tirk’ which means ‘faithful’ or ‘loyal’.
Tierke: This is another variation of the German surname Thierke. It is likely derived from the same Old German words as Tirke, with a slight phonetic change.
Thiericke: This is a variant spelling of the surname Thierke. The spelling Thiericke is found primarily in northern Germany, particularly the area of Mecklenberg-Vorpommern.
Theierke: This is a more rare variation of the surname Thierke, and is found primarily in northern Germany. Like all variations of the name, it is likely derived from the Old German words ‘tirke’ or ‘tirk’, meaning ‘faithful’ or ‘loyal’.
The name Thierke may also have been shortened over time, resulting in the following surnames of similar origin: Thier, Tier, Thiermann, Theier, and Thiemann.
Finally, the name Thierke may have been combined with other surnames during the late 19th century and early 20th century to create surnames such as: Thierke-Scheffler, Thierke-Voigt, Thierke-Müller, and Thierke-Meier.
Famous people with the name Thierke
- Mirko Thierke: German football player who was part of the clubs TuS Dortmund-Löttringhausen and Freie Turner during his soccer days.
- Klaus Thierke: Chairman and member of the board of directors for the German publishing and media group Bauer.
- Stanley Thierke: American politician from Wisconsin who was a member of the state legislature between 1969 and 1983.
- Gavin Thierke: Artificial Intelligence researcher and author who is currently the director of Artificial Intelligence Communications and Cooperation at the US Naval Research Lab.
- Jan Thierke: German classical composer and writer known for his acclaimed works such as “Guten Abend, schöne Nacht”.
- Anna Thierke: German actor and director who was a member of the Freie Ensemble theater.
- Heiner Thierke: German Justice Minister in the government of Lower Saxony.
- Jürgen Thierke: Scientist and professor of Computer Science and Maths at the Technical University of Munich.
- Arne Thierke: Television presenter for German television channel ZDF.
- Johannes Thierke: German philologist and librarian who was an expert of classical philology and Virgil's Aeneid.