Surname Hamkens - Meaning and Origin
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Hamkens: What does the surname Hamkens mean?
The last name Hamkens is of German origin. It is derived from the Old German ‘hemin’ meaning ‘home’, and the suffix ‘kin’ or ‘chen’ meaning ‘child’. It is closely linked with the Middle High German 'haminc' which means ‘dweller’. This means that those with the last name Hamkens were likely to have descended from settlements or homesteads called Hamke, or who at one point or another, resided in that location.
The name Hamkens is believed to date back to the 17th century when it was found scattered throughout Germany. It can still be found in areas such as the old Prussian provinces of West Prussia, East Prussia, and Pomerania. Today, Hamkens remains a fairly rare surname, although it can still be found in Germany, especially in the northern regions.
The Hamkens may have originally come from an area with a strong connection to farming, which could explain why the name achieved such great popularity in the northern region. This would suggest that the Hamkens likely led an agricultural lifestyle associated with agricultural production, such as grain or dairy farming. This farming lifestyle may have been passed down through the generations, helping to keep the Hamkens surname alive today.
Order DNA origin analysisHamkens: Where does the name Hamkens come from?
The surname Hamkens is most commonly found in Germany today, primarily in the cities of Hamburg, Bremen, and the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. It is also occasionally found in Denmark, especially in Jutland County.
The name has its origin in the small village of Hamkens, which is located in the municipality of Brome in Schleswig-Holstein in the region of Dithmarschen. The village of Hamkens first appears in records from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is likely that the name Hamkens is a combination of two German words, "Ham" and "Ken" which roughly translate to "warrior" and "town, settlement" respectively.
Historically, the Hamkens family was very prominent in the region of Dithmarschen and were attached to the Mule Line, a line of defense established by the Count of Holstein in the 15th century to bolster the protection of the area. It is likely that members of the Hamkens family played a role in defending Dithmarschen during the time of the Mule Line and are remembered for their bravery.
The current population of Hamkens in Schleswig-Holstein is made up primarily of retired agricultural workers and their families, as the region is predominantly rural. There are some other members of the family in other parts of Germany, as well as a few in Denmark.
Variations of the surname Hamkens
Hamkens is a patronymic surname of German origin, derived from the given name ‘Hamm’, meaning ‘warm-hearted’. Common variations of the surname Hamkens include Hamkins, Hampkins, Hamken, Humpkins, Hamkin, Hompkins, Humpkyn, Hamlyn, Hamlin, and Hamlynne.
The Hamkins variant of the surname is sometimes spelled as Hambkins, and there is also a variant Hamkenson. The Dutch version of the surname is sometimes seen as Ham keepers, while the French version could be found as Hamakins.
The surnames' alternate spellings, Hammkins and Harmkins, are also seen. As for nicknames, some related variants of the surname are Hamp, Hampion, Hamps, Hummy, Hampy, Hammy, Hampford, Hamford, Kins, Kyn and Hammykins.
People with this surname sometimes anglicize and variation of the surname as Hampson or Clinton, from both given names.
Some of the earliest known records of the Hamkens surname date back to the mid-18th century in Germany, when Andreas Hamkens lived in Rheinland-Pfalz. The 1920s U.S. census records for Hamkens show that there were more descendants in Pennsylvania and the New England region. The name is also found in the later records of the Netherlands, and it is known that some Hamkens families still live there today.
Famous people with the name Hamkens
- Antonio Hamkens: Brazilian fashion designer.
- Cameron Hamkens: American professional baseball player.
- Elizabeth Hamkens: British socialite.
- Gideon Hamkens: South African paralympic athlete.
- Jannine Hamkens: Dutch author and illustrator of children's books.
- Jennifer Hamkens: American television actress.
- Juliana Hamkens: Peruvian singer and songwriter.
- Kelvin Hamkens: American professional basketball player.
- Mike Hamkens: Canadian ice hockey player.
- Rosalba Hamkens: Argentine poet.
- Sigrid Hamkens: German actress.
- Tim Hamkens: Dutch football player.
- Tom Hamkens: Belgian artist.
- Wilfred Hamkens: Dutch biologist.