Surname Ehmken - Meaning and Origin

Ehmken: What does the surname Ehmken mean?

The last name Ehmken is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word “ehmecke” or “ehemecke” which means “home on the edge” or “edge dwelling”. This implies that the first bearers of the name either lived at the border of a territory or owned an edge of land.

Over time, Ehmken has evolved in different forms, including Ehmken, Emken, Ehmecke, Ehmcken, and Effemken. It may have also come from the Low German word “ehmke”, meaning “a kennel”.

The Ehmken surname is not particularly common; it has been found in parts of Germany, northern Europe and the United States. Variations of the surname can also be found in other countries, such as Denmark, Canada, and Australia.

The Ehmken name may refer to someone who is a descendent of a German settler, or who had relatives who emigrated to a new country. Alternatively, it may refer to a person who moved to a particular area during medieval times, such as a person who moved to a new border region.

In summary, the Ehmken surname is believed to be of German origin and was likely used to refer to someone living at a border area or who owned an edge of land. Over time, variations of the surname have developed, leading to wider availability in parts of Germany, northern Europe, and the United States.

Ehmken: Where does the name Ehmken come from?

The last name Ehmken is most commonly found in the Netherlands, specifically in the north-eastern region. First records of the name show that it originated in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland and has been passed down through generations of Dutch families since then.

In the Netherlands, Ehmken can be found most often in the small towns of Oldenburg, Borkum, and Papenburg, located in the eastern region of the country. The name is also present in the nearby city of Emden in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany, located just east of the Netherlands.

The Ehmkens of today are likely descendants of a family of Dutch farmers who lived and worked in this part of the world generations ago. They are likely to have a long, proud heritage, as the name has been part of Dutch history for centuries.

The direct lineage of those who bear the name Ehmken today is mostly traditional, however the name has spread to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, where Ehmken families have taken root in recent times. The name has also been known to appear in other European countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, and Denmark. It has even been found in South African and Mexican records.

As far as the numbers go, Ehmken remains a fairly uncommon name as it continues to maintain a small presence in the Netherlands and other countries around the world.

Variations of the surname Ehmken

The surname Ehmken is of German origin and has a variety of spellings and variants. Some of the most commonly seen spellings are Ehmenken, Ehmken, and Ehmenkenne. In some instances, the name has developed phonetically into similar-sounding names such as Ehmingen, Ehmkenne, and Ehlenken.

The most common variant of Ehmken is the Dutch Ehmenken, which is found predominantly in the Netherlands and can be traced to the large freight hub port of the same name in the province of Groningen. Other variants of the name, such as Ehmkenne, Ehlenken, and Ehmingen, are mainly found in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Other forms of the surname include Ehmeke, Emken, and Emeke. These specific spellings are also found predominantly in the Dutch province of Groningen.

The secondary surnames connected to the Ehmken family are Ehmenkene, Ehmeke, Emken, and Emeke. The name Ehmenkene is a variant of Ehmenken and is found mainly in the Netherlands, while Ehmeke, Emken, and Emeke are all variants of the same spelling and are found predominantly in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Limburg.

Overall, the Ehmken surname and its variants are all derived from the same origin and are found mainly in Germany and the Netherlands, with secondary surnames related to the large port of Ehmenken in Groningen.

Famous people with the name Ehmken

• Hans Ehmken: a renowned German mathematician who made significant contributions to the algebraic field of projective geometry and Starr's theorem.
• more Ehmken: German politician who served in the Weimar National Assembly from 1919 to 1933.
• Robert Ehmken: German botanist and entomologist who authored several books about the fauna of New Guinea.
• Jörg Ehmken: German track and field athlete who competed in the 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics.
• Hermann Ehmken: German geographer and historian who wrote several books and articles about German geography.
• Albert Ehmken: German bacteriologist and palaeobotanist who worked at the Technical University of Berlin.
• Walther Ehmken: German mathematician, astronomer, and physicist who was known for his work on the navigational techniques of the Humboldtian era.
• Wilhelm Ehmken: German palaeontologist and mineralogist who wrote several articles on the geology of Germany.
• Elisabeth Ehmken: German painter and sculptor who developed her own unique style of expressionism.
• Hermann Ehmken: German politician who was a member of the FDP from 1945 to 1984.

Other surnames

Ehmke