Surname Bartke - Meaning and Origin
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Bartke: What does the surname Bartke mean?
The last name Bartke is derived from the Germanic language and is a patronymic surname, meaning it was given to somebody based on their father's personal name. The root of Bartke is Bert, believed to be derived from the Germanic elements "beraht" meaning "bright" and "gaud," meaning "God." This suggests that the original bearer of the surname was a man of faith and was likely a Christian or a convert to Christianity.
Bartke is a fairly common name, especially in Germany and Central Europe. It can be found among families with German, Polish, Russian, and Czech heritage. Many Bartke families migrated to the United States in the 1800s and the name can be found as far as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Bartke is also associated with a number of variations, including Bartczak, Bartek, Bartka, Barcik, and Bartsch. Although Bartke is primarily a surname, it may also be used as a given name for males and females alike.
The Bartke family is a proud one, tracing its roots to the ancient German ancestors who gave them their name. This proud heritage comes through in the strength of character displayed by Bartke descendants, who carry their family name with honor wherever they go.
Order DNA origin analysisBartke: Where does the name Bartke come from?
The last name Bartke is most common in Germany and Eastern Europe today. It is particularly frequent in Lithuania and Poland, where it ranks among the top 1000 most common surnames. It is also found in Germany, Latvia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic.
The origin of the Bartke surname is unclear, though some theorists believe it derives from "Bartek," a common pet form of the Polish name "Bartholomai," or Bartholomew. Other scholars suggest that it may be related to the German word "Bart," meaning "beard," or "Bartsch," a traditional occupational surname for a barber or hair cutter.
Variations of the Bartke surname may include Barteau, Barthelemy, Bartel, Barten, Bartes, Barthes, Barth, Barz, Borz, and Borge.
Bartke families are found throughout Europe and the Americas today, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Descendants from the original Bartke family may have changed their surname spelling over time in the new countries they relocated to, resulting in a range of additional surname spellings today.
Variations of the surname Bartke
The surname Bartke is of Germanic origin and is generally found spelled Bartke, Barthke, Bartek and Bartkowiak.
Variants of the surname include Bartkey, Bartkeik, Bartkevich, Bartkevish, Bartkeyvich and Bartkiewicz. Alternative spellings of the name often include Bartkevsky, Bartkevskij, Bartkevitch, Bartkevsi, Bartkepson, Bartkon, Bartkowski, Bartkoese and Bartkee.
The name Barke is also derived from this particular surname although over time it has developed into a separate surname of its own and is quite different in sound.
In Germany, the name Bartke is not commonly used and is replaced by Barthke, which is derived from the Germanic word for baron - Bergh. The most common variant of this surname is Barthke, which can also be written as Bergh, Bargh, Barghke or Barghke.
The surnames Bartkowska and Bartkowski also derive from this particular name and the variants of these spellings include Bartkowsky, Bartkovsky, Bartkon and Bartkoski.
In the United States, the most common variant of the surname Bartke comes from its Polish origin - Bartkowiak which is also spelled Bartkiewicz or Bartkowski. In the UK the most common variant is Barthke.
Overall, the Bartke surname is one of the oldest family names known to history and its various variants and spellings are still commonly found throughout much of Europe, as well as the USA, Canada and Australia.
Famous people with the name Bartke
- Alfred Bartke: a German footballer who played for several clubs from the 60s to late 70s.
- Barbara Bartke: a former East German political activist and official.
- Frank Bartke: a German pole vaulter who set several records in the 1950s and 60s and competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.
- Gary Bartke: an American football coach who has worked at several colleges since the 80s. He is currently the head coach at Northern Michigan University.
- Henry Bartke: a German opera singer and actor who performed in several productions in the late 70s and 80s.
- Jesko von Bartke: a British cross-country skier who competed in the 2002 Olympics.
- Lilianne Bartke: Canadian gymnast who competed in the 1948 Olympics and later worked as a coach in her home country.
- Michael Bartke: a German goalkeeper who played for several clubs in the early 2000s.
- Annemarie Bartke: a German TV presenter and model.
- Ingrid Bartke: a German photographer and director who has produced a number of documentaries and children's TV shows.