Surname Kerste - Meaning and Origin
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Kerste: What does the surname Kerste mean?
According to Ancestry.com, the surname Kerste is a Dutch surname that originated from the German word kersten, meaning "Christian". It is considered a toponymic surname, derived from the name of the place where a person originated or lived. It is also a habitation name, derived from a geographical feature or place name.
Kerste is a common surname in both the Netherlands and Germany. It is believed to have been first established in the west of Germany. It is found in records as early as 1690 in Amsterdam and first appeared in the Netherlands in 1695 in Utrecht.
The surname Kerste could be the result of occupational, residential, or religious origin. It could be derived from someone who was a Christian pastor, worked in a Christian church, or lived in a Christian habitat. It is also possible that Kerste developed as a nickname when a person was identified by their piety or faith.
Kerste is a rare surname, with an estimated 14,000 people in the United States bearing the last name. It is more common in the Netherlands than in Germany, where it is one of the 8,100 most common surnames. In the Netherlands, it is the 27th most common surname.
To sum up, the surname Kerste is a Dutch toponymic surname derived from the German word kersten meaning “Christian”. It is believed to have first been established in the west of Germany and is still found in both Germany and the Netherlands today. It could have come about as a result of occupational, residential, or religious practices.
Order DNA origin analysisKerste: Where does the name Kerste come from?
Kerste is a surname with German, Dutch and Jewish origins. In Germany, it is particularly common in the states of Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate. In the Netherlands, the surname is mostly found in the provinces of Gelderland, North and South Holland. In the United States, the surname is mostly concentrated in California.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) estimates that over 1,100 people living in the U.S. have the last name Kerste. However, the survey only sampled a small portion of the population. According to a map generated by Family Tree DNA, the surname can also be found in parts of Canada, South Africa, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The surname is thought to have come to the Netherlands from Germany and possibly also from Poland. The name is likely derived from the old Germanic word "krist" which is translated to mean "follower of Christ".
The most likely origin of the surname is from the given name Kerste, which was a common name in the Netherlands when surnames were introduced. The name may have been associated with a specific family or area, and the name eventually became adopted by other families who moved to the area. The surname could have also been adopted by Jewish families who moved to the Netherlands.
Today, Kerste is a relatively uncommon surname worldwide with many people who share the name living in the same country or in the same locality. However, it is clear that the name is found in many parts of the world, and likely originated from an ancient Germanic or Jewish source.
Variations of the surname Kerste
The surname Kerste is believed to be of Dutch, German and Austrian origin and is a variant of Christmas or Krischke. Variant and spelling of the name Kerste include Curst, Curschke, Corst, Cursting, Cursching, Kirsching, Round, and Karsching. Surnames of the same origin include Kertsema, Kerthouse, Kersten, Kerstinck, and Kerstman.
In Holland, the name Kerste was derived from the Dutch word Kerst meaning Christmas or Yule. The spelling variation Corst is a unique Dutch spelling of Kerste. In Germany, the suffix ing was added to Kerste to create the surnames Kersting and Karsching, which were common in German-speaking parts of Germany. The suffix ke was also added to create the German surname Kerstke.
In Austria, Kerste was often changed to Krischke or various other spelling variations, such as Kirsching, especially in the German-speaking parts of Austria. The surname Kertsema is derived from the Dutch phrase kers taema, which translates to "Christ's time or era". The surnames Kerthouse and Kerstinck are derived from Germanic elements, such as kerst meaning “Christmas” and houwe, “dweller," and inc or ing , “follower of Christ's traditions.” Lastly, the surname Kerstman is derived from the Dutch word kerstman meaning “Santa Claus.”
Famous people with the name Kerste
- Merijn Kerste: better known as 'Merijn The Male Model' and a reality TV star, most notably in the Dutch series 'Expeditie Robinson'.
- Wilfred Kerste: a Dutch organist and former director of choral music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
- Kuba Kerste: a Polish-German director and cinematographer, best known for his short film 'Magma'.
- Pim Kerste: a former Dutch footballer and the coach of Jong FC Lelystad.
- Jelte Kerste: a Dutch judoka and bronze medallist at the 2005 World Judo Championships.
- Patrick Kerste: a Dutch football player, who played for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
- Jochem Kerste: a Dutch visual artist and sculptor, renowned for his colorful abstract sculptures made from fibers.
- Camiel Kerste: a Dutch cricketer, who has played in international matches for the Netherlands national cricket team.
- Stef Bomert-Kerste: a Dutch ceramist and sculptor, known for his use of clay and glazing techniques.
- Myra Kerste: an award-winning Dutch illustrator and creator of children's books.