Surname Brokhaus - Meaning and Origin
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Brokhaus: What does the surname Brokhaus mean?
The last name Brokhaus is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word “bruochus.” Basically, it means farmer’s house, or dwelling. This suggests that people with this last name can trace their ancestry back to a very traditional agrarian lifestyle.
In some instances the name may come from a location where a family once lived in some form of a house or outbuilding. In the early 19th century the spelling of the name was often condensed down to “Brockhaus” or “Brokhaus.”
In Germany, people who had this surname generally lived in the Rhine region around the area of Prussia. It is possible that some of the families of this name emigrated to other parts of the world.
In the United States, there are many people with the Brokhaus surname and it is commonly found in states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, California, and Wisconsin. It is also found in countries such as Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, and other countries where German immigrants settled.
The Brokhaus family name may be held by a select few, but it has provided a sense of unity and constitutions for many generations and still continues to be shared throughout the world.
Order DNA origin analysisBrokhaus: Where does the name Brokhaus come from?
The last name Brokhaus is predominantly found in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as other parts of Europe. It is also found in parts of Scandinavia and the United States.
In Germany, the last name Brokhaus is concentrated mostly in the northern part of the country, particularly in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region and the city of Hamburg. There are also larger concentrations in the western part of Germany, especially around the city of Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia and in Hesse.
In the Netherlands, the Brokhaus surname is heavily concentrated in the provinces of Holland and Zeeland, as well as the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
The last name began to migrate to the United States around the 1800s, where it is mainly concentrated in the Midwest. In particular, the state of Illinois has a large concentration of Brokhaus surnames, particularly in the cities of Chicago and Joliet.
Overall, Brokhaus is still a fairly common name throughout Europe and parts of the United States. However, the numbers are dwindling as the name becomes more dispersed throughout the generations.
Variations of the surname Brokhaus
The surname Brokhaus is generally derived from a place-name, either derived from the name Brookstone (or Den Brook Stein) meaning ‘stone of the brook’, or from two Germanic components, brock meaning ‘badger’ and haus meaning ‘house’.
The most common variants and spellings of the name are Brockhaus, Bromhaus, Brookhouse, Brookhous, Brookehouse, and Brookhaus, which may also appear as Brockhous, Brökhauß, and Brökhaus. Other spellings of the surname can also include Brokhouse, Brookes, Brokes, and Brockshaus.
The immigration of Germans has led to various surname forms being used in different countries, such as Brockaa or Bröcka in Finland, Brouhos and Brohos in France, Brookhouse in England, and Brokaus and Brokus in Lithuania.
The surname can also have the diminutive forms of Brokowski, Brokowsky, Breeke, and Brehse, and can also be an altered spelling of other surnames, such as Bröcker, Brokonma, Brockmann, Bretzmeister, and Breitenberg.
Additionally, the name may also appear as a patronymic, as in Brodhausen (‘son of Brod’), Bruchhaus, and Brokman.
The most common English translations of the name are Brookhouse, Brookhous, and Brookehouse.
Famous people with the name Brokhaus
- Melissa Brokhaus: an American television and film producer best known for producing popular movies such as Wedding Crashers and The Next Three Days.
- Frank Brokhausen: a German art director who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the film To Each His Own.
- Gretchen Brokhaus: a German actress and singer who has appeared in multiple German films and television shows.
- Anne Brokhaus: a Swedish lawyer and former Attorney General of Sweden who currently serves as a member of the Swedish Supreme Court.
- Solveig Brokhaus: a Norwegian musician, composer, and arranger who has written multiple film scores and released five albums.
- Joanne Brokhaus: an American psychologist and former Associate Professor at Tulane University who is an expert in social and adolescent psychology.
- Reiner Brokhaus: a German entrepreneur and founder of the business consultancy firm Reiner Brokhaus OHG.
- Joe Brokhaus: an American basketball coach who formerly coached at Mount Zion Preparatory High School in Maryland.
- William Brokhaus: an American physicist and professor at Cornell University who is currently researching the field of quantum information science.
- Dena Brokhaus: a South African artist and sculptor whose work has been exhibited in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.