Surname Markward - Meaning and Origin
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Markward: What does the surname Markward mean?
The last name Markward is of Germanic origin and is found in several countries including England and Germany. The name is derived from the Old German words ‘marc’ meaning ‘boundary’ and ‘ward’ meaning ‘guard’. This would suggest that the name is likely to have first been used for someone who was appointed or volunteered to guard the boundaries of their town or village.
In England, the name is most commonly found in areas such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, and some parts of Wales. Many of the early Markward records date back as far as the 12th century.
The Markward family can often be traced back to a few common ancestors, who were some of the earliest recorded family members. The most prominent of these ancestors is Hans Markwardt, a professional military man who served in the court of King Henry VII in the late 1400s.
The Markward family later spread into other areas during the 1600s, with members of the family establishing themselves in rural hamlets and villages throughout England.
Today, Markward is a fairly rare name in the English speaking world, and is most likely to be found in Prussia and other parts of Germany. Despite its relative obscurity, the Markward surname is still a celebrated one, with plenty of surviving family treasures, genealogical records, and interesting anecdotes.
Order DNA origin analysisMarkward: Where does the name Markward come from?
The last name Markward is of German origin and is thought to have originated in the German state of Bavaria. The surname is most common today in the northern and central parts of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria, Berlin, Lower-Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia. Additionally, Markward is a common surname in the Netherlands, and small populations of the name can be seen throughout North America.
Variations of the family name Markward include Markeward, Markwardt, Markwort, and Markwart. The last name Markward typically denotes descendancy from a son of Markward, a medieval German given name probably derived from the name "Mars-ward", or "ward-guardian of Mars". Mars was the god of agriculture in the ancient Roman Pantheon and so this name was often given to sons in families where the father was involved in agricultural pursuits.
This surname and its variations, remain popular in Germany and many parts of the Netherlands today. It is thought that the surname Markward is borne by more than 5,000 people in Germany alone. Therefore, it could be argued that the last name Markward is still common in those parts of Europe where it originated.
Variations of the surname Markward
Markward is an ancient surname of German origin. Several variants and spellings are derived from this surname, with the most common being Marquard, Marquardt, Marcwart, and Marckwart.
The German version of this surname is Markwardt and the origin of this name is derived from the combination of “marc” which means ‘horse’ and “ward” which means ‘to guard’. The original form of the name was “Markwarden” which translates to mean ‘guard of horses’ or ‘keeper of horses.
In France, another spelling version of this surname is Marquard. This version is derived from the Olde French version of Markwarden, which was Markard.
The Dutch version of this surname is Marcwart and Marcquarters. It is derived from the Dutch word ‘marcqueren’ meaning ‘to test or try’.
In England, a variant of this surname is Marckwart. This version is taken from the French word ‘marcher’ meaning ‘to march’ and ‘warden’ which means ‘guardian’.
In Poland, another version of the surname Markward is Marcwarc. This version is derived from the Polish word ‘marcew’ meaning ‘shield or armour’.
In Germany, the Markward surname has been around since the 15th century. It is a common family surname. Other variations are Marquard, Marquardt and MarckerVart, which all have the same root meaning.
Overall, there are many spellings and variants of the Markward surname, some of which include Marquard, Marquardt, Marcwart, Marckwart, Marcquarters, MarckerVart, and Marcwarc. These surnames are all derived from a common source and generally mean ‘horse-guard’, ‘chief’, ‘test’, ‘march’, ‘shield’, or ‘guardian’.
Famous people with the name Markward
- Karl Markward, German Generalfeldmarshall during World War II
- Hans Markward von Buch, German lawyer known for his devotional work during the Holocaust
- Adam Markward, Swedish lawyer and former government minister
- Lars Markward, Swedish Olympic rower
- Karl-Heinz Markward, German sculptor
- Johann Markward, Swiss composer
- Ralph Markward, American Major League Baseball player
- Owe Markward, Swedish lawyer and professor
- Kerstin Markward, Swedish environmental journalist
- Julia Markward, German modern dancer