Surname Ölkrug - Meaning and Origin
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Ölkrug: What does the surname Ölkrug mean?
The German surname Olkrug typically originates from an ancestral location with the same name in the Middle Ages. The name itself comes from a combination of two words, “öl” and “krug”; taken together they create the meaning of “oil jug". This was likely to mean that the ancestors of this surname were associated with the production, sale, or storage of oil in some capacity. The term “öl” may also have simply been used to indicate a family’s wealth or abundance, in which case the name Olkrug could signal that the family had a great deal of oil stores.
Variations of this surname may be found throughout Europe, most likely due to migration from Germany throughout the generations. Additionally, the surname Olkrug has been associated with a small village in Mecklenburg, Germany by the same name; it is believed that many of the individuals bearing the surname were originally from this area.
Today, the Olkrug surname is most commonly found in central and northern Germany. While uncommon in other European countries, it is still present in small numbers throughout the continent. It can also be found scattered throughout the United States and Canada, likely due to German immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Olkrug surname may vary slightly in spelling from one family to another, but the meaning remains unchanged and is still consistent with its Middle Age origins. Those who carry this surname may find an intriguing and meaningful ancestral history behind it.
Order DNA origin analysisÖlkrug: Where does the name Ölkrug come from?
The last name Ölkrug is most commonly found in Germany, where it originated centuries ago. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name was by a citizen named Eckehard von Olkrug, who served in a Bohemian army in the 1200s.
The Ölkrug family is said to come from Thuringia, a German region located in Central Europe slightly south of the current German-Polish border. Over time, many descendants of the family spread to other parts of Germany. Today, many people with the surname Ölkrug are located in larger cities, such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich.
There have also been Ölkrugs spotted in other parts of the world. In North America, for example, Americans with the last name Ölkrug can be found primarily in the United States in states such as New York and Washington. In recent years, some Ölkrugs have even made their way to the southern hemisphere and can be found living in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
Overall, the last name Ölkrug is most commonly found in Germany, but it can also be seen popping up in other parts of Europe and beyond. It is likely that members of the Ölkrug family will continue to spread and call many places around the world home.
Variations of the surname Ölkrug
The surname Ölkrug is a German/Austrian/Bavarian/Swiss surname. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Ölkrug include Ölkurk, Ölkrüg, Olkrüg, Oelkrug, Oelkrüg, Oelkrut, Oelkrüt, and Oilkrut.
The surname is likely derived from the German word for “barrel” or “vat” - ‘Ölkrüge’ - due to its literal meaning being “container of oil”. It may also be derived from the term for “barrel maker” or its shortened version “eller,” which means an artisan skilled in repair or making of wooden barrels.
In some cases, the surname may have been derived from ancient toponymic terms used in Germanic language, though there is no sufficient evidence to verify these theories.
The Ölkrug surname has also seen various alternative spellings in other languages, such as the Danish variant Olkrøg, which appears to be derived from the German “Ölkrüg” surname. In addition, some families might have adopted the German or Danish spelling of the surname at various points, while other families may have adopted Dutch or Norwegian spellings (like Oelkruger or Olkruger).
The Ölkrug surname is also found among those of Jewish heritage, and may have originally been a Hebrew name ‘Ohana.’ In some cases, families of Jewish heritage may have changed the spelling of the name to were more Dutch-sounding (like Oelkruger).
Overall, the surname Ölkrug is quite rare, and is only found today among small families in Germany, Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and some parts of Scandinavia.
Famous people with the name Ölkrug
- Friederike von Ölkrug: Former Miss Germany 2003.
- Bruno Otto von Ölkrug: German banker and industrialist who was a major shareholder in the Deutsch-Baltische banking house of Stettin in the early 20th century.
- Horst von Ölkrug: German athlete who won gold medals in the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
- Timo von Ölkrug: German professional football player who played for the German national team and UEFA Cup winner Schalke 04.
- Alexander von Ölkrug: German artist and art professor who worked in both figurative and abstract styles.
- Ferdinand von Ölkrug: German naturalist and botanist who wrote books on the flora and fauna of the region now known as Brandenburg.
- Reinhard von Ölkrug: German poet and short story author who was the subject of a 1966 film adaptation of his novel “Die Loewen begraben” (The Lions Bury).
- Marius von Ölkrug: German linguist and historian known for his studies on the ancient languages of Europe which included Gothic, Latin, and Old Norse.
- Friedrich Karl von Ölkrug: Prussian industrialist who founded the von Ölkrug & Company in 1816 in Berlin, a precursor to what would eventually become Siemens AG.
- Wilhelm Gustav von Ölkrug: German industrialist who was involved in the steel and engineering industries, as well as chemical production in Berlin.