Surname Benkendorff - Meaning and Origin

Benkendorff: What does the surname Benkendorff mean?

The last name Benkendorff is an occupational surname of German and Ashkenazi Jewish origin. The name originated as a German phrase meaning "smith" or "armourer". It refers to someone in the occupation of metalworking, specifically arming or arming of soldiers, as an armourer.

The origin of the name Benkendorff is likely rooted in the medieval German culture, when soldiers were outfitted with protective armor made of metal, such as the metal plates for shoulder protection, known as pauldrons, or the metal helmets, known as sallets.

The surname is thought to have arisen in the course of the late medieval period, likely first appearing in Germany in the 14th century. The name is likely a variation of the Germanic surname Benckendorff. At this time, it was an artisan’s profession, at the service of the increasingly powerful territorial states.

By the early 17th century, the practice of metalworking had spread throughout Europe, including into Russia, where the name Benkendorff came into use. During this period it was the armourers and swordmakers who had their mark placed on their weapons so that they could later be identified.

In modern times, today the name Benkendorff is spread throughout the globe. It typically refers to a person whose family can trace their roots to the Benkendorffs, making them part of a large international family scattered throughout Europe and beyond.

Benkendorff: Where does the name Benkendorff come from?

The last name Benkendorff is most common in Germany, where it is of Swiss origin. According to the 2019 statistics from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, there are around 600 people with this surname living in the country.

The Benkendorff family was a prominent Swabian noble family of imperial military officers and politicians. They were ennobled in 1796 by Emperor Franz II of Austria and embraced the splendid material and spiritual heritage of the German ruling class.

In addition to Germany, the surname Benkendorf is also common in Russia. Specifically, it is found in the North Caucasus region, along with other German surnames such as Topor and Genne. This is due to the fact that the Benkendorff family emigrated to Russia after the Napoleonic wars and were granted high positions at the court of Tsar Alexander I.

The Benkendorff surname is also quite common in the US. According to official records by the US Census Bureau, there were some 700 people with this surname in 2008. Most of them are descendants of Russian immigrants, but there are also some descended from German and Swiss migrants.

Overall, Benkendorff is a fairly common surname that is found all around the world. It is most prevalent in Germany, Russia, and the US, but can also occasionally be found in other countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Benkendorff

The surname Benkendorff is also spelled as Benkendorf and Benkendonk. The variants are Bentkendorff and Bentkendorf. Variants of the original surname have been found with the spellings of Benkendoff, Benkendoph, Benienkentoff, Bendendoff, and Benkendeau. These variants were found in Latin records from the 16th century.

Benkendorff is a surname of German origin. Surnames originating from German are sometimes written differently, with the spelling variations ranging from specific areas to more widely-used spellings.

Benkendorff is derived from the Germanic personal name Bemberg. Bemberg is a combination of the prefix “Ber” meaning ‘bear’ with the suffix “ington” meaning ‘dweller’. In Germany, people often used their occupations as last names. In this case, Benkendorff was most likely used as a name for someone who worked in a mill or as a miller.

In Russia, it has been found that the original spelling Benkendorff gradually became interchangeable with Ben, i.e. for the same person, several variants of the same name can be found. This occurred probably as a result of slight and gradual phonetic changes over time.

The Benkendorff surname has been found in records in a number of countries, including Germany, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Mexico and Poland. It is likely that people with this surname have widely scattered origins.

Famous people with the name Benkendorff

• Franz Benkendorff: A Russian prince and diplomat in the 19th century, known for being Count Dimitri Pavlovich's guardian.
• Alexei Benkendorff: A Russian major-general, Adjutant General to Tsar Nicholas II in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I.
• Karl Benkendorff: A German-born sculptor and porcelain craftsman who was popular in Imperial Russian. He created many pieces of the imperial porcelain.
• Heinrich von Benkendorff: A Prussian soldier and field marshal.
• Konstantin Benkendorff: A major general of the Prussian guard troops during the War of the Sixth Coalition and the Saxon Campaign.
• Ernst Benkendorff: A Russian cavalry general who was also the governor-general of the Kharkov and Kiev governorates from 1872 to 1886.
• Paul Benkendorff: A Geologist and eminent Thischanologist who published his research and scientific works on the Tatars and Bashkirs of Central Asia.
• Ivan Benkendorff: An Estonian mechanic known for founding the Benkendorff Metal-Art GmbH & Co in Tallinn in 1912.
• Maria Benkendorff: A Russian artist from the 19th century, known for her landscape paintings and etchings.
• Jutta Benkendorff: An Estonian landscape architect who was a pioneer in the field, noted for designing the Kadriorg Rose Garden.

Other surnames

Benkendorf