Surname Kurrek - Meaning and Origin

Kurrek: What does the surname Kurrek mean?

The last name Kurrek is thought to be of Polish or Ukrainian origin, and has a number of possible meanings and roots. It could be derived from the Old Polish and Ukrainian word kurka, which means ‘hen’, suggesting an occupational name for people involved in poultry farming. Alternatively, it could come from kurwa, an old Slavic word for ‘a female dog’, referring to someone who bred and took care of dogs. It could also have come from the Latin word curvus meaning ‘hooked’, indicating it was once used as a nickname for a crooked or bent person.

Yet another suggested etymological origin for Kurrek is from the surname Kurzak, a nickname-like surname for someone small or short in stature. This is also supported by its variants, such as the Ukrainian form Kuryk. Furthermore, it could be connected to the first name Kur, which is derived from the Old Slavic ‘kur-’ meaning ‘to protect’, giving rise to the meaning ‘protector’.

Overall, the precise meaning or origin of last name Kurrek is unclear. It could have several separate root sources, or perhaps be an amalgamation of two or more of these Polish and Ukrainian sources. Regardless of its exact origins, the name is clearly of Slavic or Eastern European origin.

Kurrek: Where does the name Kurrek come from?

The last name Kurrek is most commonly found in parts of Eastern Europe. It is believed to have originated in Germany, but records of the Kurrek family appear widely throughout Slovenia, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia, and Russia.

The earliest records of the Kurrek name appear in Bavaria and Silesia during the late 1200s. By the early 1800s, many known Kurrek family members had spread throughout Germany and in to other countries in Eastern Europe.

Today, the name Kurrek is still found throughout Eastern Europe. However, there are some locations where there appears to be a higher concentration of the name than others. For example, in the Czech Republic, records of the Kurreks have been found in the areas around Dečin, along the Elbe River. Poland is another country with a dense population of Kurreks, concentrated mainly in the region of Silesia as well as in the northern region of Pomerania.

The Kurrek name can also be found in other parts of the world such as the United States, where it has been carried over by members of the family who emigrated there over the past century. There have been Kurrek family members who have settled all over the United States, although smaller clusters of the name can be found in certain areas. It appears that New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are particularly popular locations for the Kurrek name.

In general, the Kurrek name is still a common one today, though it is mainly concentrated in the Eastern European countries where it originally spread. Overall, the Kurreks have established a lasting presence in Eastern Europe and beyond.

Variations of the surname Kurrek

The surname Kurrek originates from the Krahn ethnic group of Liberia and the Ivory Coast. It is a derivative of the word "Kurru", which means "man of the bush". This surname has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Korr, Kurr, Kurrie, Corek, Correek, Korreck, Korrek, Correc, Catrick, and Kurrak.

Korr and Kurr are the basic variations of the surname Kurrek. Korr is derived from the name of a famous Krahn tribal chief Tchorre Korr, which is also spelled as Chorre. Similarly, Kurr is derived from the word "Korru" and is pronounced as "Kuhr-Uh".

Kurrie is another version of the surname Kurrek, which is derived from the romanization of the Krahn language "Kurr", meaning "man of the bush". Corek, Correek, Korreck, Korrek, and Correc are derivatives of the root word Kurru, and the spelling variations are attributed to the vastness of the Krahn tribe.

Catrick is a variation of the surname Kurrek that is derived from the American missionaries who were present during the early days of the tribe’s dominance in the region. The missionaries are believed to have Anglicized the name in order to make it easier to pronounce.

Lastly, Kurrak is a variation of the surname Kurrek that is derived from the Kurdish dialect and is pronounced as "Koor-rak". Variants of the surname can be seen in modern spelling and bearers can trace their ancestry to the Krahn people.

Famous people with the name Kurrek

• Evi Kurrek: an actress, known for her roles in the German films “Eine Frau, Eine Liebe” (2014) and “Du bist dran” (2004).
• Robert Kurrek: a German screenwriter and film director, best known for the movie “Mittel Gegen Geld” (2007).
• Sven Kurrek: a German sculptor, painter and photographer, renowned for creating figures from plaster, metal and acrylic.
• Artur Kurrek: a Polish author and journalist, best known for his books “The Last Day of Hitler” (2013) and “The Big Lie of Nazism” (2010).
• Jacek Kurrek: a cinematographer from Poland, best known for his work on the TV series “Zakazane imperium” (1999-2001).
• Tadeusz Kurrek: a Polish playwright, poet and theatre critic, most famous for his works such as “Man of a Thousand Masks” (1966) and “Death of the Knights” (1964).
• Dominic Kurrek: a Canadian musician, songwriter and producer, known for releasing solo albums such as “The Game of Gravity” (2013) and “Light & Dark” (2010).
• Stanislaw Kurrek: a Polish-Canadian professional basketball player, who played with the Polish National Team from 1994 to 1997.
• Diana Kurrek: an American artist and graphic designer, who has exhibited her works in numerous galleries in the US, Canada and Europe.
• Wojciech Kurrek: a Polish-American television director and producer, best known for his work on the medical drama series “ER” (1999–2009).

Other surnames

Kurreck