Surname Benken - Meaning and Origin

Benken: What does the surname Benken mean?

The last name Benken is of German origin and typically originates from Bavaria. Benken is derived from "Bennig" or "Binningen", which literally translate to “bundle of twigs” or “brushwood”. The name is a metonymic surname, derived from the occupational name given to individuals who gathered bundles of twigs and brushwood for sale or use as fuel.

The name Benken can also be of Jewish origin, as a rare variation of the name "Bank". This variation of the surname can be found in cities such as Auschwitz, suggesting it could be associated with Jewish ancestry.

Benken is a fairly common surname in the United States. The Social Security Administration (SSA) of the United States estimates that Benken is the 68,237th most common last name in the country. There are over 7,000 people with the last name Benken in the United States, with the majority residing in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, and Texas.

The Benken family motto is thought to be "Strength and Honor", reflecting the strong will and work ethic that is associated with those who bear this last name. The Benkens are believed to be a hard-working, reliable, and loyal family who place value in the importance of giving back to the community and helping others.

Benken: Where does the name Benken come from?

The last name Benken is a Germanic surname, almost exclusively found in Germany today. It derived from the name of plain or settlement, so it is most likely that early Benken families came from a place by that name.

Benken is quite a rare surname and is most commonly found in the western German states of Nordrhein-Westfalen and Hessen, with a few families recorded in Bavaria and Niedersachsen. It is thought that many Benken families were introduced to the wider German populace through the migrating Huguenot communities around the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Populations of Benkens are also found in the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, and Switzerland. Data from the US census in 2000 estimated roughly 400 individuals with the last name Benken, most of whom arose from German-American immigrants of the 19th century.

It appears, however, that the name Benken is not as common among younger generations, with surname holders decreasing each year. In modern times, it is thought to be an uncommon and unique name, with many families retaining the sacred record of their ancestors in some form.

Variations of the surname Benken

The surname Benken is recorded in many forms. Many of these are variant spellings of the same original name, including Benk, Benkle, Benklin, Benkel, Benkenke, Benkwau, Benkmann, Benkenberg, Benkenhausen, Benkwitz, Benkner, Benkhart, Benkies, Benky, Bengen, Benger, Bengert, Benksen, Benkser, Benge, Bengerow, Benkum and Benkewitz.

It is believed that this surname is derived from Middle High German, where it is thought to be a combination of words meaning ‘bent’ and ‘ken’, perhaps indicating a person who had a bent nose. It is also thought possible that the name may be derived from the Jewish male given name Berakhiah, or the Jewish female given name Berakhah.

Benken can also be found in some forms in Jewish records, with variants such as Benkah, Benkenbaum, Benkser, Benksen, Benkserowitz, Benkserwitz, Benksitz, Benksman and Benksy. German Jewish variants include Benksen and Benkser, and these names can be found in records from the 14th to the 16th century.

The Benken surname can also be found in several other countries and in other languages. In Poland, it is spelled as Benkin, Benkiner or Benker. In Greece, the form is Benkou and in Czechoslovakia Benkova. Other forms of the name are found in Hungary, Russia and Romania.

In England, variants of the name Benken include Bunky, Bunke, Bunk, Banko and Benkin.

Famous people with the name Benken

• Bob Benken: American musician, former member of the band Trust Company.
• Konrad Benken: Swiss football midfielder.
• Matt Benken: American Situation Comedian.
• Mark Benken: Former co-host of the podcast The Duncan Trussell Family Hour.
• Cole Benken: Award-winning American filmmaker.
• Ronald Benken: Former editor in chief of the North American Review.
• Veit Benken: German bobsledder who competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics.
• Karen Benken: American actress who has appeared in a number of feature films.
• Ryan Benken: Former basketball coach for the Charlotte Bobcats.
• Lew Benken: Former sports editor for the Toledo Blade.
• Holger Benken: German footballer who played for the German national team.
• Christine Benken: Multi-platinum selling American record producer.
• Richard Benken: Former executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
• Lewis Benken: Retired American professional golfer.
• Carter Benken: Former United States Marine Corps General.

Other surnames

BenkeBenkendorfBenkendorffBenkens