Surname Bärwinkel - Meaning and Origin
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Bärwinkel: What does the surname Bärwinkel mean?
The surname Bärwinkel is a locational name from northern Germany which originated from the words “bär” (bear) and “winkel” (angle or corner). It primarily identifies the family’s place of origin which is believed to be the area known today as Bad Bärwinkel in the German state of Lower Saxony. Historians trace the name back to 1172 when it was written as “Bureweken” in the archives of the then independent convent in Isenhagen.
By the mid-1400s, the name Bärwinkel had become a popular surname among settlers in the area. The Bärwinkel family became known for its farming practices and hospitality. They farmed wheat and rye and reliable herds of livestock. The family also hosted guests who travelled between the nearby towns of Hanover, Göttingen, and Heiligenstadt.
The Bärwinkel family since then has spread out further in Germany, Hessen, and Bavaria as well as abroad to North America and the Netherlands. Some of its members include the former mayor of Santo Antônio de Pádua in Brazil and a former vice-chairman of the German Workers Welfare Association.
Today many of the original Bärwinkel farms in Lower Saxony are owned by descendants of the family, who continue the traditions of hospitality and farming. Others have since gained prominence in various professions, reflecting the family’s respect for knowledge and skill. Together, they are an extended Bärwinkel family proud of its history and still living in the area of Bad Bärwinkel.
Order DNA origin analysisBärwinkel: Where does the name Bärwinkel come from?
The last name Bärwinkel can be found all over the world today. It is a rare German surname, and is predominantly found in Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It is also found in smaller numbers in Austria, Poland, Switzerland, the United States, and Canada.
In Germany, the last name Bärwinkel is most commonly found in the states of Bavaria and Hesse. In the Netherlands, the name is concentrated in the provinces of Limburg and Gelderland. In the United States, the states of Michigan and Minnesota contain the most significant populations of individuals with the last name Bärwinkel. The name is also fairly well represented in Ontario, Canada, with concentrations in the cities of Ottawa and Toronto.
The name Bärwinkel is derived from personal name Bärwinkel, which is a combination of the Middle High German ‘Bär’, meaning ‘bear’, and the German suffix ‘winkel’, meaning ‘corner’. It is believed that the surname was derived from a nickname used to refer to a person from the home of a hunter, or a person that lived near a bear’s den.
The last name Bärwinkel has been present in Europe since medieval times, but its current spread across the world is most likely a result of the increased international mobility and population movements of the last century. It is a revered and popular last name, and is proudly carried by many families across the world today.
Variations of the surname Bärwinkel
The surname Bärwinkel can be spelled in several ways, including Barwinkel, Bearwinkel, Baerwinkel and Bärwindel.
Variant spellings of Bärwinkel often arise in different countries, although the origin of the surname is the same. In countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, the name is spelled with the umlaut (ä). In others, such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, the name may be spelled without the umlaut (ae).
Due to its numerous variants, the surname Bärwinkel also has a variety of other surnames derived from it, which can include Barendkel, Barwinkle, Bearwinkel and Bärwindel.
In some cases, the surname may have shortened over time, such as Barendel becoming Bärwinkel. The same is true of its variant spellings; Barwinkel, for example, might have derived from Bearwinkel over time.
Not everyone with the surname adopted it originally; the spelling may also have been altered when families arrived in countries with different linguistic rules. For example, many families arrived in the United States and had their surnames changed to fit the English language.
In some rare cases, a person may have adopted the surname Bärwinkel from someone else. This might have occurred particularly in America, where immigrants often took on a new surname to avoid discrimination.
Regardless of varied spellings and linguistic rules across different countries, the surname Bärwinkel has one common origin, and those who carry the name are united by a shared history and heritage.
Famous people with the name Bärwinkel
- Johannes Bärwinkel: A German actor and theatre director based in Berlin. He has worked extensively in theatre and television, and is the founder and artistic director of Theaterilleticultur.
- Fabian Bärwinkel: A German researcher, specializing in structural biology, protein engineering, molecular biology, and biotechnology. He has written several books and papers on these topics and has received numerous awards for his work.
- Fabian Bärwinkel Jr: He is the son of Fabian Bärwinkel, and is also a structural biologist and protein engineer.
- Claudia Bärwinkel: She is an Austrian short-story writer, playwright, and poet.
- Roland Bärwinkel: He is a German footballer who currently plays for FC Viktoria Berlin, a club competing in the German sixth-tier Regionalliga Nordost.
- Stephan Bärwinkel: A German film editor and director.
- Helmut Bärwinkel: A German actor who primarily works in theatre.
- Sebastian Bärwinkel: A German politician and current chairman of the local branch of the German Social Democratic Party.
- Martin Bärwinkel: A German musician, composer, and producer.
- Jan Bärwinkel: A German computer scientist and professor at the University of Paderborn.