Surname Odekerken - Meaning and Origin
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Odekerken: What does the surname Odekerken mean?
The last name Odekerken is a Dutch surname that originated from the modern-day Netherlands. It derives from the Dutch word “odekerk” which means “edge of the church” and is likely a location-based surname. It is likely that in the past someone from the Odekerken family lived near the edges of a church building, or on the grounds or borders of the church’s grounds. The name could also mean that someone from the family worked for the church or was associated with it in some way.
The surname originated at least two centuries ago and is still found in the Netherlands today. It is a very rare surname, with fewer than 1,000 people living in the Netherlands having the name. There are a few notable people who hold the surname, such as Willeke Odekerken, the Dutch actress who starred in the Netherlands show “Toen was geluk heel gewoon” in the 80s.
The surname Odekerken is significant in that it holds both religious and local meaning, and has endured for centuries. It has ties to both local Dutch history and to the Christian faith, and as such is a proud emblem of the country and its rich theological history.
Order DNA origin analysisOdekerken: Where does the name Odekerken come from?
The surname Odekerken is of German origin and is most commonly found in north-western Germany, particularly in the Lower Rhine region. The name is derived from the words “Ode” (meaning “happy song”) and “kerken” (meaning “church”). It is an occupational name that originated from the work of an organist, church singer, or church administrator.
Over the centuries, many people with this surname have left Germany, primarily for economic reasons. They have spread far and wide, establishing family outposts in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Today, the Odekerken surname is very common in countries with large German immigrant populations, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In these countries, the name is often spelled as Odekerk, Odekerken, Odeker, and other variations.
In Germany, the Odekerken surname is still common in the Lower Rhine region, where it is now spelled with many variations. As of 2019, the city of Mönchengladbach had the most people with the Odekerken surname.
Other countries with populations of Odekerken descendants include South Africa, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. In countries with smaller German immigrant populations, the name is much less common.
Variations of the surname Odekerken
The surname Odekerken is sometimes spelled as Oudekerken, Oedekerken, Oudekerk or Oedekerk. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it is derived from an ancestor's given name. The given name is likely from the Old Dutch element “oud", meaning old, and “kerken", meaning church.
Variants of the surname Odekerken can be found in Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, France, Canada, Poland, Austria, Australia and the United Kingdom. In some countries, the name is pronounced differently, such as Oedekerken in Germany, Oodekerk in the Netherlands and Oudkercken in Belgium.
The variant surnames of Odekerken can be divided into two categories: Dutch and German/Frisian. The Dutch variants Oudkerk, Oedekerker, Oudekerken and Oodekerker are all derived from the Old Dutch element “oud", while the German/Frisian variants, Oudekerk and Odekerken, are derived from the German element “oder".
The surname Odekerken can also be found under versions such as Odekerk, Odykirk, Odecker, Odeckerken, Oudekerk, Oudekirk, Odikirk and Odiquirk. The surname is also linked to two other surnames, Odllkerken and Odicherken, which are derived from other forms of “Old Dutch” language, and Oedekerk and Oekerk, which are derived from other forms of the German language.
Famous people with the name Odekerken
- Mark Odekerken: Dutch actor who has appeared in television programs such as Homerun and Koffietijd.
- Ferdinand Odekerken: former Dutch footballer who played for PSV Eindhoven in the 1970s.
- William Odekerken: a former professional tennis player from the Netherlands.
- Richard Odekerken: a Dutch visual artist known for his abstract paintings and installations.
- Bart Odekerken: a healthcare entrepreneur in the Netherlands.
- Leonardus Odekerken: an astronomer from the Netherlands, best known for his work on comet C/1908 Q1, which he discovered in 1908.
- Sandra Odekerken: a Dutch actress who has appeared in films such as A Single Man and Waking the Dead.
- Theodorus Odekerken: a Dutch theologist and historian, who wrote extensively about Dutch protestants.
- Vincent Odekerken: a Dutch fencer who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- Ernst Hermann Odekerken: a Dutch bishop of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in the early 20th century.