Surname Vincken - Meaning and Origin

Vincken: What does the surname Vincken mean?

The last name Vincken is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the given name "Vinck," which is itself derived from the Germanic personal name "Winfrid." This personal name, in turn, is composed of elements meaning "peace" (win) and "mighty" (frid).

Traditionally, this surname was used to signify a descent from someone with the given name "Vinck," making the bearer of this name a scion of a particular family tree. In some instances, it may also have been a locational surname, identifying someone who lived near or in a location distinguished by the Vinck family or in a part of the country where the name was most common.

Vincken families could be found across much of Central Europe during the Middle Ages, along the Neder and Rhine rivers in Rhineland. Later it may have spread to areas in what is now modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Today the name Vincken continues to be seen in the Low Countries, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium. Outside of these countries, variants of this surname such as Vink, Vincke, and Vincks continue to be seen in areas where Dutch or Belgian emigrants settled, such as in the United States.

Vincken: Where does the name Vincken come from?

The last name Vincken is most common in the Netherlands. The Dutch spelling is Van der Vincken or van der Vincken. According to the 2018 Dutch Family Names Survey, the last name was the 9583rd most common last name in the Netherlands. This places it in the 84th percentile of the most common names. It is especially prevalent in the North and Central part of the country, particularly the provinces of Limburg, Gelderland, North Brabant, and Utrecht. Additionally, the last name is found in other countries such as Germany, France, and Belgium. It is relatively rare in the United States, but a small number of Vinckens emigrated from the Netherlands during the 19th and 20th centuries and there are currently several hundred living in the US.

In terms of its origin, the last name is a patronymic name. This means that it derives from a personal name such as Winco or Wincfred. The preposition der and the definite article de signify the patronymic derivation. A patronymic name denoted the lineage of a man and his sons. Therefore, the surname Vincken means "son of Winco" or "son of Wincfred".

Variations of the surname Vincken

The surname Vincken (also spelled Vinckens, Vincke, Vincks, Vinke, and Vink) is of Dutch and German origin, deriving from the collections of the plural form “Vinken” for “birds” in the Low German language. The surname likely referenced someone who enjoyed hunting birds or owned a flock of them.

The earliest known mention of the surname Vincken occurred in a tax registry of 1577 in the state of Westphalia in Germany. This surname was also used at a earlier time in the Netherlands, as early as 1331.

Due to population growth, migration and other factors, variations of the surname Vincken emerged. In some cases, these variations have been adopted by immigrants to other countries as a means of retaining their heritage but anglicizing their name upon entry. This phenomenon makes it difficult to accurately trace some surnames with ease.

Other variants of the surname Vincken include Van Vincken, Van Vincke, Van Vink,Von Vincke, Van Vincken, Van Vinke, Vincke surnames and Van Vinck surnames.

In addition, people of other faiths who shared the surname Vincken were forced to add a suffix to their name, such as -baum (“tree” in German). For example, the surname “Vinckenbaum” refers to a Vincken family member who converted to Judaism. Similarly, -heim or -haus was added to some Jewish family names to indicate ancestry from a specific area.

Famous people with the name Vincken

• Géza Vincken: Dutch politician
• Chris Vincken: Dutch footballer
• Nils Vincken: German aviator
• Robert Vincken: German politician
• Guus Vincken: Dutch football referee
• Amy Angela Vincken: Dutch astronomer
• Merel Vincken: Dutch singer
• Kristin Vincken: Dutch professional cyclist
• Elvia Vincken: Dutch journalist
• Martial Vincken: Dutch artist
• Armand Vincken: Dutch actor
• Moritz Vincken: German jurist
• Nils Vincken: German aviator
• Thomas Vincken: German footballer
• Mike Vincken: Dutch photographer
• Osiris Vincken: Dutch long-distance runner
• Thierry Vincken: Dutch molecular biologist
• Rupert Vincken: Dutch football coach
• Isabelle Vincken: Dutch volleyball player
• Job Vincken: Dutch deputy mayor

Other surnames

VinckVincke