Surname Buerke - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Buerke: What does the surname Buerke mean?
The last name “Buerke” is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German word “Bühre,” which denoted an occupation as a charcoal burner. In Middle High German, “Buerke” literally translates to “one who burns charcoal.” This trade was highly important in medieval-era Europe, when charcoal was used to fuel ovens, and craft wood and metalworking tools.
The spelling of the surname varied in records throughout history, as it was transliterated differently into English. It was sometimes spelled formally as “Buerke,” while other versions included “Buerk,” “Buerck,” “Buerkie,” and “Berger.”
The surname is mainly found in delta regions close to the North and Baltic seas, as those areas had dense forests that supplied much of the charcoal. Additionally, the surname appears in Germany and Austria—peoples descended from these regions were often labeled with their ancestral trades.
Modern-day individuals who carry this surname are largely overseers of the cotton, cloth, and wool industries, as the trade of charcoal burners has become obsolete. The name “Buerke” has therefore acquired an additional meaning for its linguistic successors; it conveys the qualities of hard-working and perseverance that those early charcoal burners embodied.
Order DNA origin analysisBuerke: Where does the name Buerke come from?
The last name Buerke is most commonly found in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. It's not a rare name, but it's not overly common either. In the United States, the last name Buerke is most commonly found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, and New York.
In Austria, Buerke remains the most common spelling and is found across the country. The name is especially popular in the states of Upper and Lower Austria, Styria, and Vienna.
In Germany, the spelling is often less reliable and can be Berke, Burke, Bürke, or Buerke depending on the region of Germany where someone with the last name is from. It's often most common in the west, in the region around Hamburg, as well as in Bavaria and the Rhineland.
In Switzerland, Buerke is often part of the Swiss-German dialect, where the name is spelled Bürke. Here, it's most common in the western half of the country, as well as in a few locations in Central Switzerland.
Overall, the name Buerke is not overly common in the world today, but is found in different regions across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.
Variations of the surname Buerke
Buerke is most commonly spelt with an umlaut over the "u", as Bürke, and is a common German surname. It has a number of variants and is also known by many different surnames of similar origins.
Variants include Bürk, Baerke, Baeurke, Baehrke, Bärke and Bürck, all of which have the same root.
Spellings of the surname can include Bürke, Berke, Bürk, Baerke, Baeurke, Baehrke, Bärke, and Bürck. Spellings with and without the umlaut are seen.
Surname variants of Buerke also include Berke, Burk, Burck, Bürck, and Burkert. Other variants are Buerkle, Barke, Birk, Bürki, Bürkl, and Bürklin.
Buerke is a relatively common name, with many people with the same surname likely to have a common ancestor. People with the same surname may have distant relatives living in Germany, which could explain their shared surname. It is possible that some of the variants originated in other countries, such as Switzerland, although this is not certain.
In addition to the variations listed above, it is likely there are many other spellings and surnames of the same origin, due to the mutation of language over time. However, many of these surnames will likely have been lost, making it difficult to trace all of the possible variations.
Famous people with the name Buerke
- Janis Buerke: Estonian fashion designer and entrepreneur.
- Sharon Bürke: German singer and songwriter.
- Michael Bürke: Former German footballer.
- Mark Bürke: American Actor.
- Michelle Bürke: German figure skater.
- Lydia Bürke: German opera singer and music teacher.
- Daniel Bürke: Swiss economist and entrepreneur.
- Hermine Bürke: German figure skater.
- Bernd Bürke: German former long-distance runner.
- Sabine Bürke: German former footballer.
- Ewald Bürke: German former football official.
- Mark Bürke: American actor.
- Monika Bürke: German former long-distance runner.
- Holger Bürke: German former footballer.
- Erika Bürke: German former race car driver.
- Cornelia Bürke: German model, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.
- Christof Bürke: German former volleyball player.
- Sören Bürke: German former footballer.
- Bernd Bürke: German politician.
- Uli Bürke: German classical music composer.