Surname Sellke - Meaning and Origin
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Sellke: What does the surname Sellke mean?
The surname "Sellke" does not have a specific documented meaning in public genealogical records. It is possibly of German origin but its etymology isn't distinct. Usually, surnames are derived from occupation, place of residence, personal characteristic, or patronymics (derived from father's name). However, without specific historical or genealogical data, the meaning of the name "Sellke" is not clear. Like many surnames, it might have variant spellings or it could have evolved over time. Conducting a complete ancestral background may provide additional insights into its meaning and origin.
Order DNA origin analysisSellke: Where does the name Sellke come from?
The surname Sellke is most commonly found in German speaking regions today, with the highest concentration being in Northern Germany and around the Austria-Germany border. According to ancestry.com database, Sellke is especially prevalent in the northeastern states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Lower Saxony.
Other German speaking regions in which the surname Sellke can be found include the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, and even some areas of Poland. Outside of the German speaking regions, the surname Sellke is also found in the United States, although it is much less common.
This is likely due to the fact that the surname Sellke is believed to be a derived from the Middle High German term 'selgan', which means 'to seek'. This indicates that the surname likely originated with individuals who were seeking a new home and left behind their former place of residence.
In addition to the surname's geographic spread, there have been a variety of spellings of Sellke over the centuries. These include Selke, Seelke, Solke, Selleke, Sofke, and Sehlke. It is believed that some of these variations may be a result of a variety of dialects or even basic mistranscription and misinterpretation of data.
Overall, Sellke is a relatively uncommon surname today, but can still be found in German speaking parts of Europe and the United States.
Variations of the surname Sellke
Sellke is a surname of German origin. Variants of this spelling include Sellkek, Sellker, and Sellkerk. Alternative spellings include Selke, Zelke, Zelker, and Zelkerk.
Sellke is a patronymic surname derived from Middle High German selken ‘to offer’. It is further derived from Germanic salian ‘to give, present, provide’, which is likely related to old Frankish and Germanic sal ‘hall, hallowed temple, shrine’. The name may have originally referred to an individual who gave offerings in a hall or shrine.
Surnames derived from Sellke include Sellko, Sellky, Selka, Selke, Zelka, Zelko, Zelky, and Zelk.
Though Sellke is of German origin, variants of the surname can also be found in other countries. For example, Sellke can also be found as Seeleke in Prussia, Sulcek, Saleck, Selkek, and Zulcek in Austria-Hungary, and Seleky in Hungary.
In the United States, Sellke has generally been Anglicized as Selke, Slake, Sleck, and Slick.
Therefore, the spelling, variants, and surnames deriving from Sellke are as follows: Sellke, Sellkek, Sellker, Sellkerk, Selke,Selka, Sellko, Sellky, Zelka, Zelke, Zelko, Zelky, Zelk, Seeleke, Sulcek, Saleck, Selkek, Zulcek, Seleky, Selke, Slake, Sleck, and Slick.
Famous people with the name Sellke
- John Sellke: a former Major League Baseball player, pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1960 to 1969.
- Norman Sellke: a zoologist and professor at Rutgers University in the Department of Biological Sciences.
- Brian Sellke: a former swimmer and Olympic medalist, who won a bronze medal in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- Siobhain Sellke: an Australian Paralympic swimmer, who has won two gold medals representing Australia at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games.
- Stephanie Sellke: an American figure skater, who placed 10th at the 2006 U.S. National Championships.
- Sandra Sellke: an American artist and designer working in the fields of fashion, textile design, and puppetry.
- Bart Sellke: an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose work has been published in multiple collections.
- Don Sellke: a prominent American landscape photographer whose work is represented in galleries and museums across the country.
- Robert Sellke: an American author and illustrator of several award-winning children’s books.
- Milton Sellke: a mechanical engineer and designer of the fuel injection systems used in various aircraft engines.