Surname Bircke - Meaning and Origin
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Bircke: What does the surname Bircke mean?
The last name Bircke is derived from the German and Scandinavian surname "Birch." It originates from the Old English word beorc, which is related to the verb bereac, a derivative of beorh, meaning "hilly." It may have originally been used as an occupational name for someone connected to the forestry, timber or charcoal trade.
The prefix Birk- frequently appears in Scandinavian and German place names and stems from birch trees along a strip of land. The suffix -e is a diminutive.
The name Bircke is most commonly found in Germany, where it is borne by approximately 360 people, although it may be found in many other parts of the world. In England only 12 people share the surname.
Bircke is considered a 'patronymic surname' which means it was formed from the father's name. To form such a name, the suffix "-son" or "-sen" is either added or subtracted from the father's name.
The Bircke family has a long and varied history. They trace their roots back to Germany in the 8th century, during the time when many members of the Germanic tribes were migrating west along the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Seas. Records of the Bircke family are found in several German states as well as in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia.
The Bircke family is considered quite old and many of its earliest members recorded their births and marriages in the churches of Europe. Records indicate that the Bircke name has been spelled in various forms including Bürk, Bürklein, Bergh, Bürkler, and Burck.
Order DNA origin analysisBircke: Where does the name Bircke come from?
The last name of Bircke is commonly found in parts of Northern Europe, particularly in Germany. Records show that it originated in a small village in the town of Ergoldsbach, Bavaria sometime in the 13th century. It then spread to other parts of Germany, Scandinavia, and eventually the rest of Northern Europe by the 19th century.
The origin of the name itself has its roots in the German words ‘birke’ and ‘burcke’, both of which mean ‘birch tree’. As a result, the surname has resulted in widely adopted and used nicknames, such as ‘Birch’ or ‘Birchen’.
Today, the surname of Bircke is mostly found in Germany, with the highest frequency being observed in the states of Bavaria, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Hesse, and Thuringia. It is also present in Denmark, where records indicate that the surname was adopted by several immigrants. In other Northern European countries such as Finland and Norway, the name is less common, but still considered to be in use.
Overall, the surname Bircke is most strongly connected with Germany and other parts of Northern Europe, and it continues to be popular with families of different cultural backgrounds in these areas.
Variations of the surname Bircke
The surname Bircke has many variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin. Common alternate spellings for Bircke include Birck, Birckes, Birk, Birke, Birkmann, and Börkmann.
The surname Birck is the most commonly found alternate spelling of Bircke, and is primarily seen as a surname in Germany and the Netherlands. In Germany, many people with the surname Birck originate from the town of Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein.
In the Netherlands, the spelling is slightly varied, as it is often seen as Börkmann. This spelling is found in both the northwest and the south of the country. The origin of the surname Börkmann is unclear, though some believe it may have been derived from two Dutch words: 'boer' meaning farmer, and 'kamma' meaning comb.
In the United Kingdom, the surnames Birks and Birtwhistle are believed to be derived from the Bircke surname. A search of parish records from northern England and Scotland show that these two surnames are both found in large numbers, though no clear origin has been identified.
The Swiss surname Birkmann is also likely related to the Bircke surname, and may have been derived from a nickname for someone who lived close to a birch tree.
Overall, the surname Bircke has many variants, spellings, and related surnames around the world. While the origin of each may be difficult to determine, the existence of all of these variations demonstrate the popularity and spread of this surname in many different countries.
Famous people with the name Bircke
- J.G. Bircke, the namesake of the genus of primates known as the Birches
- Tony Bircke, American professional golfer
- Mina Bircke, a Swedish-American painter
- Sir Noel Birchenshaw, BBC controller of broadcasting in Scotland
- Christine Bircke, a Swedish television presenter and radio personality
- Stina Bircke, a Swedish journalist and author
- Emma Bircke, daughter of British actor Rupert Everett
- Lewis Bircke, a British diver
- Derick Bircke, a Canadian professional racecar driver
- Bobby Bircke, a caricaturist and singer-songwriter from Ireland