Surname Vorkauf - Meaning and Origin
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Vorkauf: What does the surname Vorkauf mean?
The last name Vorkauf is of German origin, with the translation of “before buying” or “to buy in advance.” It is thought to have originated with a specific family, possibly merchants, who were known for buying supplies before they were needed.
The Vorkauf surname has several spellings, including Vorkof, Vorkaff, and Vorkowf. This suggests that the family with the original name had spread across Europe in the centuries following its original formation.
Being of Germanic origin, the culture for the Vorkauf family would have been mostly Protestant Christianity. As with most European last names, many of the Vorkauf descendants may have become part of the larger European diaspora, migrating to other countries and continents in the later centuries.
Given the original meaning of the name, it could be said that the Vorkauf surname carries with it a sense of careful preparation and foresight. Today, it is likely that you'll find some descendants of that original family scattered across the world, all carrying a connection to their past.
Order DNA origin analysisVorkauf: Where does the name Vorkauf come from?
The last name Vorkauf is most commonly associated with Germany, as the majority of individuals bearing the name can be found residing in that country. Records from the US Census Bureau indicate that only a small population of individuals bearing the Vorkauf surname call North America their home.
Although the Vorkauf last name is fairly spread out across Germany, the highest concentration of it is greatly concentrated in Bavaria. Bavaria is the southeastern most region of Germany and the largest state in the country with a population of over 13 million people. In fact, Vorkauf surname profiles from familysearch.org indicate that the largest concentration of this surname in the country is found in Bavaria, and specifically in the small towns of Rockenhausen, Mitwitz, and Glattbach, located in the Bavarian district of Ansbach.
Outside of Bavaria, Germany is the second-largest concentration of individuals bearing the last name Vorkauf, with Austria and other countries in central Europe topping the list.
So if one is looking for an area of the world in which the last name Vorkauf is particularly common, the best places to look would be Germany and Bavaria specifically.
Variations of the surname Vorkauf
The surname Vorkauf is primarily German in origin, coming from the Middle High German ‘vorkauffen’, which can be translated as ‘buying in advance’. There are several variants of this surname, including Fürkauf, Fürkoff, Vorkeuf and Vorkoff. Additionally, there are a variety of alternate spellings, such as Verkaub, Varkaub, Furkaub, Furkoef, Furkaoff, and Vorkeuf.
The surname Vorkauf is a relatively rare surname, though it has been found in Germany, Austria, Poland, and other German-speaking regions. In the United States, the surname appears more commonly spelled as Furkaub or Vorkeuf. There is also a variant of the surname with an English and Dutch origin, Forbes. This variant may be spelled as either Foerbes or Forbes, though it is considered an entirely different name. It is possible for people with the Vorkauf surname to have ancestors who were Dutch or German.
In German-speaking regions, the surname is often preceded by von or van, which are both of German and Dutch origin. The fact that this surname appears in multiple regions and has multiple variants and spellings mean that it is likely to have been borne by multiple families. Surnames were often used to distinguish between families, particularly families of the same place. It is possible that the Vorkauf surname was used by families that either lived in the same town or lived in different areas but descended from the same ancestors. Therefore, many of the variant spellings and surnames of the same origin could be related to the various branches of one family.
Famous people with the name Vorkauf
- Julian Vorkauf: an American biostatistician noted for his work in Bayesian statistics for infectious disease epidemiology.
- Theodor Vorkauf: a German linguist and a professor of Romance studies at the University of Heidelberg.
- Hugh Vorkauf: an American diplomat and former United States Ambassador to Burkina Faso from 2014 to 2016.
- Jonathan Vorkauf: an American actor who has appeared in such television shows as Law & Order, NYPD Blue, and CSI: NY.
- Albert Vorkauf: an American psychologist and former director of the Neuropsychology Laboratory at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
- David Vorkauf: a senior director with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Walter Vorkauf: an Austrian-American physicist who is best known for his work in atomic and molecular physics.
- Andreas Vorkauf: a German journalist and documentary filmmaker.
- Robert Vorkauf: a physicist and PR expert from the United States, specializing in strategic communication and risk communication.
- Irene Vorkauf: an American sculptor whose work has been shown at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.