Surname Hanke - Meaning and Origin
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Tracing My Hanke Ancestry Through iGENEA DNA Test: A Personal Discovery of Celtic Roots
Recently, I participated in an iGENEA DNA test in hopes of finding out more about my ancestral lineage. The invaluable insights I gained completely rewrote my understanding of my family history, tracing my roots back to the ancient Celts and altering my perception of self.
O. Hanke
read moreHanke: What does the surname Hanke mean?
The last name Hanke is of German origin. Its literal translation is “nook, corner” or “hook, bend”, derived from the German noun “haken,” which refers to a curve, such as one found in a river. It is also believed that the name could have originated from a town or location near a natural hook or bend in the landscape.
The spelling of the Hanke name is variously written, from Hancke, Hank to Hanke. Over time, the name has also become associated with individuals from Hanau (located near Frankfurt am Main) who migrated to the United States in the 18th century—or perhaps even much earlier. Hanke immigrants left many vivid records of their presence in American, as evidenced by churches, cemeteries, and scanned letters.
The Hanke family was one of the first to settle in the colonies and many original land grants from Pennsylvania and New Jersey are attributed to bearers of this surname. Today, the Hanke family is still found in many parts of the United States, particularly emanating from the German-American community.
The Hanke surname continues to be of great interest for genealogists due to the considerable information on their earliest ancestors that can be retrieved. It is also appreciated by historians, as many of the outgoing surnames provide a glimpse into the past, demonstrating the complexity and diversity of America’s population.
Order DNA origin analysisHanke: Where does the name Hanke come from?
Today, the last name Hanke is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and some parts of neighboring countries. According to HouseofNames.com, one of the earliest records of the German surname Hanke dates back to 1381. It is believed that the Hanke surname itself is derived from a nickname or personal name, most likely derived from the old German “Hanko” meaning “power” or “ruler”.
The Hanke surname is also widespread across Poland, where it is known as Hanek, while in the Netherlands the name is generally spelled Henk. Interestingly, Hanke is considered by some to be the most commonly occurring last name in the Czech Republic, where it is spelled Hánek.
One of the largest concentrations of people bearing the Hanke name can be found in the United States and Canada, where individuals and families bearing the name likely emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe in the 19th century. Places in North America with the highest population of Hankes include New York and Pennsylvania, followed by Ohio, Washington, and a smattering of other states across the US. Additionally, there are Hankes scattered across Canada, largely with roots in the same region.
No matter the location, those with the surname Hanke take pride in their name and the heritage it carries. They are united in the shared meaning of the name and the legacy that comes with it.
Variations of the surname Hanke
The surname Hanke is of German origin, derived from the German word "hank", meaning "hook". Variants of the surname Hanke include Hancke, Hanck, Hancks, Hankes, and Hanko, as well as Hankee, Hanker, and Hankesen.
In Family Tree DNA's Y-chromosome results from 1940s German and Polish households, Hancke was one of the most commonly found surnames. Surnames with German-Slavic origins, such as Hancke, often have variant spellings due to the differences between German and Slavic languages. The surname Hanke is also found as Jancke, Jattschke and Jakke in various language dialects.
German surnames can often be divided into two parts. In the case of the surname Hanke, the "hank" is an occupational name for someone who uses a hook or one who is involved in hawk-related activities, such as falconry or hunting.
The name Hanke is regarded as a variant form of the name Hank, which is the same origin but with a different spelling. The name Hank is believed to be a short form of the German name Johannes or its variants.
The Americanized version of the surname Hanke is Hanks. Another popular variation of the surname Hanke is Hankins, which has roots in sub-branches of Hanke. Hankins is a combination of the Hank and the suffix '-ins', which is a German form of 'son' to indicate descent from a father with the same surname.
In conclusion, the surname Hanke can be found in various forms and spellings, due to its German-Slavic linguistic roots and historical language differences. The surname Hanke is derived from the German word "hank" and can be found as Hank, Hancke, Hankins, and many other variations.
Famous people with the name Hanke
- Werner Hanke: An Austrian politician and lawyer, and the current Governor of the Russian region of Kaliningrad.
- Pete Hanke: An American football player who played professionally for the Denver Broncos from 1971 to 1974.
- Thomas Hanke: An American football player who played from 1972 to 1973.
- Michael Hanke: A German former professional footballer who played for the German national team and several Bundesliga clubs.
- Andreas Hanke: A professional Austrian footballer and manager who currently plays for the German side Union Berlin.
- Adolf Hanke: A German SS commander, and one of the architects of the Holocaust.
- Josef Hanke: A Romanian writer, philosopher, historian, and martyr who was executed on Christmas Day 1945 for his respectively barricade participation.
- Bianca Hanke: A Brazilian footballer and a defender for the Estonia national team.
- Zane Hanke: A decorated American veteran of the Vietnam War, and serves as chairman of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South-Central Mayberry.
- Robert Hanke: A professional water polo player and coach, and the winner of the Master Water Polo Coach of the Year award in 2017.