Surname Schmarbeck - Meaning and Origin
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Schmarbeck: What does the surname Schmarbeck mean?
Schmarbeck is a surname with German roots. It is believed to be of locational origin, deriving from anyone who came from the hamlet of Schmarbeck, located in the district of Wittgenstein in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is said that there is a Verein Schmarbeck near the hamlet which includes people from this region who are descendants of Schmarbeck.
Schmarbeck is an occupational surname that can be traced to people who were engaged in the trades of lock-smithing, tinsmithing and beer brewing. It is thought that these trades were practiced by the first holders of the name who hailed from Schmarbeck.
The surname Schmarbeck means ‘little man from Schmarbeck’, coming from the combination of the German terms ‘schmar’ which means small and 'beck' which means stream or creek. So however a person with the surname Schmarbeck is actually known as a ‘small man from the creek’.
The name also has its own rich history. The Schmarbeck family has a distinguished pedigree, and many of its members are still found living in Germany. The name itself is also somewhat rare, and it is not found in many documents or records. However, there are still several people with the surname Schmarbeck who are contributing to society, including a variety of entrepreneurs, academics, and professionals. All of whom are keeping the memory of Schmarbeck alive.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmarbeck: Where does the name Schmarbeck come from?
The last name Schmarbeck is a very uncommon name, found primarily in western Germany today. According to German surname online registry, the current number of registered Schmarbecks is only 1,500.
Much of the Schmarbeck name originates from Bavaria and Westphalia; however, records from throughout Germany countrywide show a small number of Schmarbeck families over the last 200 years. Furthermore, the name is especially common in the North-Rhine Westphalia region, with over 1200 families.
Schmarbecks have also had a strong presence in the United States and Canada, with a particularly large population in Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Statistics of 2010, approximately 800 people in the United States shared the last name Schmarbeck and the majority of these families resided in Michigan.
Despite these records, very little is known about the history of the Schmarbecks. The Schmarbeck name likely originated with a specific group of German nobles and the name was then passed down to their descendants. However, due to the rarity of the name it is difficult to trace its origin.
In conclusion, the last name Schmarbeck is a rare name today and is most common in western Germany, primarily in Bavaria and the North-Rhine Westphalia region. However, the name is also found in Michigan, the United States and Canada. The history of the name remains largely unknown.
Variations of the surname Schmarbeck
The surname Schmarbeck, also spelled Schmarbek, is believed to have originated from the county of Schmalkalden-Meiningen in Thuringia, Germany. This is a place name, derived from the Old German words "schmar" meaning "black" and "beck" meaning "stream".
The variants or alternate spellings of Schmarbeck include Schmargebeck, Smargebeck, Schmarbach, Schmardebek, and Scharbeck, among many others. It is also common to find the surname without the "ck" at the end, which results in spelling variations like Schmarbe or Schmarb, depending on the regional dialect.
In terms of surnames of the same origin, many have derived from the Schmarbeck surname, including Smargebeck, Schmerrbeck, Schmardebek, and Schmerbock. Other common names with similar roots include Schmegge, Schmarbe, and Schmarbo.
Some people with the surname Schmarbeck or its variants have also adopted other surnames over the centuries. Some of these include Schamberger, Schmeckenbecher, Schemering, and Schmelz, as well as various other combinations of the original root words.
In summary, the surname Schmarbeck has evolved and changed over time, leading to various spellings and derivative surnames with similar roots. Such spellings and names could be found throughout Europe and beyond, and could give clues to a person's family heritage and history.
Famous people with the name Schmarbeck
- Franz Schmarbeck (1801-1884), German astronomer;
- Clara Schmarbeck (1845-1894), German stage actress and singer;
- Gustav Schmarbeck (1898-1984), German theologian and Protestant anti-Nazi resistance fighter;
- Paul Schmarbeck (1910-1995), German construction rights lawyer;
- Günther E. Schmarbeck (1931-2007), German entrepreneur and judge;
- Ulla Schmarbeck (born 1934), German former Olympic fencer;
- Michael Schmarbeck (born 1952), German politician;
- Uwe Schmarbeck (born 1970), German professor of epidemiology;
- Lars Schmarbeck (born 1983), German ice hockey player;
- Jörg Schmarbeck (born 1984), German theatre director.