Surname Heinker - Meaning and Origin
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Heinker: What does the surname Heinker mean?
The last name Heinker is a Germanic surnames derived from the personal name Henker, meaning "executioner". It is believed to have originated in the 16th century when the concept of having a single executioner was first introduced in Germany. The surname began as a hereditary title held by those who practiced the profession of carrying out capital punishment. It eventually became an official family name assigned to those people who had once been executioners.
The Heinker surname is concentrated in the southwestern German regions of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Hesse but is also found in other parts of Germany and in other German-speaking countries.
The Heinker surname reflects the lavishly documented Germanic tradition of awarding important posts to prominent families. As such, it represents an important part of Germany’s legal history. While the executioner’s role in the judicial system is now considered somewhat obscure or forgotten, the surname Heinker can still be found in Germany and elsewhere.
The Heinker surname is, and likely always will be, associated with the now-obsolete profession of executioner, and those who bear the name are likely to be proud of their family's history.
Order DNA origin analysisHeinker: Where does the name Heinker come from?
Heinker is a common German last name, and there are many Heinker families who have descended from the same pedigree in Germany. The surname is found mainly in Bavaria and other parts of southern Germany, though there are smaller pockets of people carrying the name in other German states such as Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Saxony-Anhalt region. Additionally, a heavy concentration of Heinker families can be found in North America today. The earliest record of a Heinker in the United States was Jacob Heinker, a German Immigrant from Hesse, who arrived in New York in the year 1849.
The surname is also present in Brazil, thanks to a many second-generation German Immigration to the country in the twentieth century. As a result, there are many Brazilians with last names such as Heinker. In Australia, its possible to find people with the last name thanks to the waves of German immigration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries- though this is far less common compared to the United States and Canada, where German immigrants make up a more sizable portion of the population.
Overall, the surname appears to be relatively rare outside of German and German-influenced parts of the world, though it can be found with increasing frequency in other countries.
Variations of the surname Heinker
The surname Heinker is derived from the old German name 'Heinricher' or 'Heinkle'. It is a patronymic name, meaning 'son of Heinrich'. Variations include the original German spelling of 'Heinricher', which evolved through time to become 'Heinkler' and 'Heinker'.
Variants of the surname Heinker include Heinkler, Heinka, Heinkler, Heincke, Heinkmann, Heinkamp, Heineke, Heines, Heindl, Heynker and Heink. Variations of the spelling of Heinker include Heinkar, Heinkar, Heinger, Heincker and Heiniger.
The surname may also be anglicized to Henker, Heaner, Heener and Hener. Some derivative surnames of Heinker are Heinkes, Heinken, Heinkmann, Heinkamp, Heinken, Heinkner, Heinkesen, Heinkemann, Heenken, Heenkamp, Heenker, Heenkner, Heinkenmann, Heinkhem, Heinchamp, Heinkenenz and Heynkersmann.
Though the name began in Germany, the Heinker surname is found throughout Europe and has spread to other countries, such as the United States and Canada. In the United States, there are many people with the Heinker surname that originate from different countries, suggesting it had a far-reaching spread over time.
Famous people with the name Heinker
- Heineken van der development, Dutch entrepreneur
- Max Heinkl, German scientist
- Vincent van Heinken, Dutch theatre director
- Kevin Heinkers, American actor
- Maik Heinkopf, German ice hockey player
- Jeroen Heinkerman, Dutch mixed martial artist
- Joris Heinker, Dutch actor
- Helga Heinken, German politician
- Robert Heinkers, Dutch writer
- Martin Heinker, German lawyer
- Gérard Heinkens, Dutch businessman
- Nils Heinker, German musician
- Adrienne Heinken, Dutch photographer
- Andreas Heinken, German yoga teacher
- Adam Heinkes, French footballer
- Lena Heinken, German singer
- Florian Heinkes, German cinematographer
- Elmar Heinkers, German football player
- Alexander Heinkers, German painter
- Henry Heinken, Dutch military officer