Surname Ercken - Meaning and Origin
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Ercken: What does the surname Ercken mean?
The last name Ercken is a French-origin surname, which means “Son of Erck,” with Erck being a given name used in forms such as Arc, Arg, Erc or Hirc. Erck is thought to have derived from the Old Germanic name Ercalab, meaning “brave and courageous.”
Ercken is a patronymic surname, which means it identifies an individual as a son or daughter of a specific first name. The Ercken surname is most commonly found in countries in Europe where French culture and influence has been long established, for example, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the French speaking cantons of Switzerland. In the Netherlands, it's been found recorded in various spellings since the 17th century.
Ercken is not a particularly common surname, although the variation Erkens occurs more often. As its derivation from a personal name suggests, it may be a very old surname, derived from an ancestor known by a name such as Arc or Erc many generations before. It may even date back to the mid- to late medieval period, when such names were popular.
Order DNA origin analysisErcken: Where does the name Ercken come from?
The last name Ercken is most commonly found in the Netherlands and Germany. It is a toponymic surname derived from the names of locations in both countries, and it is also found in Flanders and Belgium. This last name has been around for hundreds of years. In the Netherlands, it can be traced back as far as the Middle Ages. Ercken is derived from the locations of Örken/Ercke in the Netherlands, and Ercken in Germany.
In Germany, it is mainly concentrated in the state of North Rhine Westphalia, with cases also found in Bavaria and Lower Saxony. In the Netherlands, the name is mainly associated with the Province of Limburg and is also found in various parts of the country, particularly in the south.
Throughout Europe, Ercken is an uncommon surname. However, due to its long history and use in various countries, it is likely to still be around in some form well into the future.
Variations of the surname Ercken
Ercken is a surname that can have a variety of different spellings and variants, each with their own origins.
The most common variant is “Ercken”, which is a North German form of the surname “Erckmann”, derived from the old Germanic root “erk”, meaning “strength” or “hero”. This variant is mainly found in Germany and the Netherlands.
The Dutch form of the name is “Erkman”, which derives from the same root as “Erckman”. This variant is mainly found in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The English form of the surname is “Erkens”, derived from the Dutch “Erkman”. This variant is mainly found in England and the United States.
Variants of the name include “Erckens”, “Erckmann”, “Erkman”, “Erken”, “Erckens”, and “Erkes”.
The surname also has a variety of associated surnames of different origin, such as “Erckenstein”, which means someone from Erckestein, a village near Lippstadt in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Other associated surnames include “Erckzeeman”, which means someone from Erckzeeman in Germany; “Erckzemeyer”, which means someone from Erckzemeyer in the Lower Saxony region of Germany; and “Erckenriether”, which means someone from Erckenriether in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.
Overall, the surname Ercken has a variety of different spellings and variants, each with their own origins. Depending on the region, the spelling of the name can vary greatly, but the origin remains the same.
Famous people with the name Ercken
- Julia Ercken, German actress
- Frank Ercken, Belgian illustrator
- Edzard Ercken, Dutch sculptor
- Frieda Ercken, Dutch model
- Thomas Ercken, Belgian academic
- Maurice Ercken, Belgian organist
- Stephanie Ercken, Belgian musician
- Jan Ercken, Dutch painter
- Lien Ercken, Belgian artist
- Christoph Ercken, German physician