Surname Warnkens - Meaning and Origin
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Warnkens: What does the surname Warnkens mean?
The last name Warnkens is of German origin and is thought to have originated from the old German name “Warncke”. The name likely derived from the Old High German context “warnen”, meaning “to caution” or “to warn”. The Warnkens family name was found throughout the Medieval period predominantly in the former Duchies and Kingdoms of Austria and Prussia.
In America, the Warnkens family name arrived in the middle part of the nineteenth century. A number of individuals bearing the name Warnkens settled in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, and Illinois, amongst other states.
The Warnkens family name has had numerous variations over the ages. Former incarnations of the surname include Warneck, Warnke, Warncken, Wernern, Waernern, Wernerne, and Warnecke. It is important to note that different branches of the same family may have adopted different spellings of the last name.
The job-descriptive origins of the last name has come to mean that those bearers of the last name are typically naturally cautious and conscious of the potential for danger. They are also thought to be observant, acting with caution before leaping into any situation.
Order DNA origin analysisWarnkens: Where does the name Warnkens come from?
The last name Warnkens is most common in the Netherlands. According to House of Names, in 2014 the surname was the 577th most common last name in the Netherlands with an estimated 863 people bearing the name. It is most prevalent in the province of South Holland as well as the northern provinces of Groningen and Drenthe. It is also found in the Belgian provinces of West Flanders and Brabant Wallon in the country's northern region.
The surname Warnkens originated from the village of Warken, located in the Limburg province of the Netherlands, which dates back to at least 1220 when it was documented in the High German Rhyme Chronicle. The village was home to the Warneadd family which was said to have held an estate there in the Middle Ages. Many of them adopted the name Warnkens in response to the growing tradition of using one's place of origin as a surname. The name is a variation of the German name "Werner", which is derived from the word "warin". The literal meaning of the name is "defender".
The surname is relatively rare in the US today and is primarily found among Dutch-Americans who trace their ancestry back to the Netherlands. Even though it is not as widespread as before, hundreds of people across the world still bear this surname, and the root of the name is a testament to the strength of those who once carried it.
Variations of the surname Warnkens
Warnkens is a Dutch and German surname of Anglo-Saxon origin and its variants, spellings, and surnames all have the same root. Variants of the Warnkens surname include Wernkens, Warnecke, Warnick, Wernerke, Wernicke, Warnicke, and Wernicke.
The Anglo-Saxon form of the surname is Warnecke and likely originated from the Old Germanic given name Warneke. The surname Warnecke is derived from the Old English “ward” meaning “guard” or “watchman”. The surname was most likely given to an individual who had the duty of protecting a landowner’s property or watching a manor. In Germany, the Warnecke surname eventually evolved into the Although, Warnkens surname.
It is also possible that the spelling ended up taking on a variety of variants due to the Dutch language’s influence on German. For example, the Dutch language has a few letters that don’t exist in German, such as the “ck”. So, instead of "Warnecke" , the surname was translated to “Wernicke” in German.
Other spellings of the surname such as Wernerke and Warnick likely arose from the influence of other languages as well. Wernerke may have originated from the German word “Werner”, which means “defender” or “protector”. Warnick may have arisen from a Slavic origin and it is similar to the Slavic surname Warnicki.
Regardless, of the origin and spelling of the surname Warnkens, all its variants and surnames stem from the same source and have the same root.
Famous people with the name Warnkens
- Adam Warnkens: Adam Warnkens is a German artist, who mainly creates sculptures and drawings. He has been a part of numerous exhibitions and festivals, and has been nominated for prizes such as the Art Prize of the German State of Lower Saxony in 2014.
- Jelmer Warnkens: Jelmer Warnkens is a Dutch music producer and songwriter, best known for his work in the dance music genre. He has collaborated with some of the most famous DJs in the world, such as David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and Afrojack.
- Paula Gunn Warnkens: Paula Gunn Warnkens is a Canadian theatre director and playwright. She has written plays for small to large scale theatres, and has been renowned for her experiments in combining traditional Aboriginal stories and Western theatre.
- Willem J. Warnkens: Willem J. Warnkens was a Dutch artist, who mainly worked with painting and drawing. He studied at the famous Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and was inspired by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Wassily Kandinsky.
- Zach Warnkens: Zach Warnkens is an American ice hockey player. He currently plays for the Hershey Bears, an AHL ice hockey team. He has also appeared in the National Hockey League, and the US National Team.