Surname Stake - Meaning and Origin
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Stake: What does the surname Stake mean?
The surname Stake has English origins and is believed to be topographic, deriving from the Old English term "staca" meaning "post" or "stake". It was likely used to describe someone who lived near a notable post or boundary marker. It could also be occupational, referring to a person who made or sold stakes used in fences. Over time, through migration and regional dialect changes, the spelling evolved into different variants such as Stack, Staker, or Stake. Like many surnames, Stake would have started as a nickname or descriptor, helping to distinguish between individuals with the same given name in a community. Therefore, while modern individuals with the surname Stake may not have any specific connections to posts or stakes, their ancestors likely had some meaningful relationship to these objects.
Order DNA origin analysisStake: Where does the name Stake come from?
The last name Stake is most commonly seen in Scandinavia today. This is especially true in Norway, where the Stake surname is in the top 100 most common surnames. It is also seen in smaller numbers around the Scandinavian region, including Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden.
The origin of the name dates back to the old Norse language and means “to stand”. It is assumed that the name is derived from the families that lived near and typically farmed near wooden stakes in fields or deep forests.
The Stake surname is an occupational last name, meaning that it was commonly passed down from generation to generation. This is likely due to its long presence in Norway, which has been home to many families with the Stake name for centuries.
Today, the last name Stake is still found in Norway, and to a lesser extent Scandinavia, but it is not as widely used as it once was. It’s interesting to note that the Stake family still live in many of the same locations today as they did hundreds of years ago, so if one were to trace the family history of the Stake surname, many could return to the same ancestry in Scandinavia.
Variations of the surname Stake
The surname Stake is most commonly found in British surnames, but has variants and spellings in a number of countries.
In Britain, the surname is mostly spelled Stake, but it also appears as Stak, Stakes, Staak, Stack, Stacke, Steak, and Steak. The surname can also be found spelled Stoke, and Stoker, and is sometimes used as a middle name.
In Germany and Austria, this surname can be found spelled Staeck, Staecke, and Staeckel.
In Sweden, the surname appears as Stackel, Stakel, Staeckel, and Staeckel.
In the United States, Stake appears as Stack, Stacks, Stacke, Steak, Staker, and Stokar.
In Scotland, the surname appears as Stack.
In Holland, the surname is found as Stackelberg, Staak, Staeckel, and Staeckelberg.
In Denmark, the surname is found as Stokke, Staeck, Staeckel, and Staecke.
In Norway, Sweden, and Finland, Stake appears as Staek, Staecke, and Staeckel.
In Lithuania and Poland, the surname is found as Stak, Staka, and Staek.
In Ireland, the surname appears as Stack and Stakes.
In France and Belgium, the surname is found as Stace, Stache, Stacke, Stack, and Stache.
In Italy, the surname is found as Stacchi, Stacchione, Stachetti, and Stacchiotti.
In Spain, the surname appears as Estaca, Estaque, Estaki, and Estanchez.
In Russia, the surname is found as Stakhov, Stakhovych, and Stakhovskiy.
Famous people with the name Stake
- Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Stake: Nordic author and Nobel Prize winner
- Ryan Stake: Professional ice hockey player
- Allen Stake: Former NASCAR driver
- Ole Peter Lie Stake: Norwegian priest, educator and politician
- Walter S. Stake: Former American football player and coach
- Magnus Stake: Swedish former drummer
- Kjetil Stake Martinsen: Norwegian politician
- Dave Stake: American television producer
- Hans Stake: Norwegian diplomat and politician
- Bruce Stake: American speedskater