Surname Bornkamm - Meaning and Origin

Bornkamm: What does the surname Bornkamm mean?

The last name Bornkamm is a German surname derived from the noun born, meaning “brook” or “stream”. The surname Bornkamm (also spelled with a double ‘m’) is thought to have originated from those who lived in close proximity to a brook or small stream.

The surname is most common in the Rhineland-Palatinate region in western Germany, where it is thought to have first appeared. It is also found in other areas of Germany, and is especially common in Berlin.

In German, 'FamilienName' (family name) is a term used to describe a last name that has been regularly used by family members for generations. The Bornkamm surname is often referred to as a 'FamilienName', suggesting that it has been used as a last name by members of the same family for several generations.

The surname Bornkamm is fairly rare outside of Germany and is not particularly common in the United States. A search of the US census database and public records revealed only a handful of people bearing the name Bornkamm, suggesting that it is still a relatively uncommon surname.

The Bornkamm last name is a distinct German surname that has a long history and is associated with the Rhineland-Palatinate area of Germany. It is a rare surname in the United States, suggesting that it has either not been widely adopted by the German immigrants who arrived in the US centuries ago, or is not passed down from generation to generation as much as it is in Germany.

Bornkamm: Where does the name Bornkamm come from?

The Bornkamm surname is found predominantly throughout Germany with a few variations, such as Börnkämper, Börnkamp and Bornkamp. It is also frequently encountered in other countries such as France, the United States and the Netherlands, among others. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bornkamm surname is found mainly in the south-central region of the United States.

The Bornkamm surname likely originated in a small village in Westphalia, Germany called Bornkam, which is where the name is believed to have originated. The name spread throughout Germany as the family migrated in search of employment or other opportunities, with more than 30 percent of all recorded Bornkamms living in the vicinity of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Bornkamm name is also found in countries with large German diasporas, such as the United States. In fact, the U.S. is home to the largest population of people bearing the name Bornkamm, making up nearly half of all recorded listings. Even after centuries, the surname is still found in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

The surname is also found in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Furthermore, with the advent of digital records and genealogy research, there have been scattered listings- some possibly remote- reported in South America, Israel, and parts of Europe. Thus, the Bornkamm name can be found in a number of countries around the world.

Variations of the surname Bornkamm

The surname Bornkamm originates from the Germanic root words ‘born’ or ‘barn’ which mean ‘child’ or ‘offspring’ and ‘kamm’ which means ‘comb’. It is typically found in Germanic-speaking countries, such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Variants and spellings of the surname Bornkamm include Boernkam, Boernkamm, Borncam, Bornkam, Bornkame, and Boernkamme. The other surnames of the same origin are Barnczyk, Bernkamm, Barnczyk, Bernkam , Bernkamme, and Berenczuk.

There is also a rare other variant of the surname, Barankamp which is found in Dutch-speaking countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium and is derived from the Dutch word ‘baran’ which means ‘lamb’ and ‘kamp’ which means ‘field’.

There are also variations of the surname found in other countries around the world. In Poland, the surname Bereńczak, Berenczuk, and Berenczyk are all variations of the same surname. In Ukrainian, the variations are Bernkumar and Bernekumar. In Russian, the variations are Boronkom, Berenczuk, and Berenczko. And in French, the variation is Barenkam.

The variations in this surname show the global influences of Germanic-speaking countries and their diaspora. In time, the pronunciation and spelling of the surname has evolved through different languages and cultures to form its present spelling and variants.

Famous people with the name Bornkamm

• Dirk Bornkamm: former German footballer
• Wolfram Bornkamm: German theologian and scripture scholar
• Robert Bornkamm: German field hockey player
• Werner Bornkamm: German World War II fighter pilot
• Jonathan Bornkamm: American musician
• Otto Bornkamm: German architect
• Claudia Bornkamm: German actress
• Stefan Bornkamm: German ice hockey player
• Georg Bornkamm: German classical philologist
• Holger Bornkamm: German rugby player

Other surnames

BornkampBornkampf