Surname Hemmenga - Meaning and Origin
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Hemmenga: What does the surname Hemmenga mean?
Hemmenga is an uncommon Dutch surname that can be found mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium. The surname originated from the old Germanic word “haimo”, which means home. So, the earliest bearers of this surname were most likely people who lived in a certain home or lived in a certain area.
The surname is typically thought to be derived from either “hemmen” or “hemmelo”, both of which refer to an enclosure or area surrounded by a fence or wall. Thus, individuals bearing the Hemmenga surname were considered to be the guardians or those that lived within an enclosure.
In other words, people with the Hemmenga surname might have been a family of some sort or even a community of settled individuals. It is also possible that they were related to animals such as cattle or sheep, as these creatures were usually reared within walled enclosures.
In addition to its likely origin, the Hemmenga surname is a unique one and can provide a connection back to one's heritage. As such, it can be a great source of pride for everyone who carries it and allows them to proudly identify themselves as Dutch.
Order DNA origin analysisHemmenga: Where does the name Hemmenga come from?
The surname Hemmenga is most commonly found today in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch National Genalogical DataBase (DVGD) reports that Hemmenga is most prevalent in the Gelderland region of the country. This is where the earliest records of Hemmenga families originate. Records show that in the 1500s a Hendrick Heyndrick was the first to adopt the name and his descendants spanned out across the region. Today, Hemmenga is a moderately common Dutch surname with over a thousand people living in the Netherlands bearing this name.
In Germany, Hemmenga is most commonly found in Bavaria and surrounding regions, particularly in the city of Fulda and the surrounding towns. Records show that Hemmenga is an old German name that is of Germanic origin, and the family’s history in Bavaria dates back to records from the 1700s. The number of Hemmenga's living in Germany is estimated to be around 500 today.
In the United States, the Hemmenga name has a much more recent history. The SS Wheaton, a Dutch ship, arrived in Galveston, Texas in July of 1870. On board were 3 Hemmenga families who had left the Netherlands seeking a better life in America. Since then, Hemmengas have spread out across the United States, primarily in Texas, California, and Florida. Today, the estimated number of Hemmengas living in the United States is around 150.
Variations of the surname Hemmenga
The surname Hemmenga is of German origin and is derived from the old Germanic 'hemming' combined with the suffix '-ing' which means a family or a descendant of. The variants and spellings of Hemmenga include Hemminga, Hemmenga, Hemmingen, Hemmink, Heming and Hemenge.
The surnames of similar origins include Helmenga, Hemminghaus, Henning, Hemmens and Hemminger. These names usually refer to someone who is related to or descended from a person named Hemingus, Hemming or Hemmink, they all likely have the same root although interpretation of spellings and how they changed over time are largely unknown.
Variants of Hemmenga also include Hemmeling and Hempling, which are more phonetic variations of the original surname. These are most likely a result of German immigrants arriving in the United States and Anglicising their name to a more understandable or easier to pronounce version.
A variant in Dutch is Hemmink, which has the same origin, but is used more today in the Netherlands. Other Dutch surnames have similar origins such as Hemmens, Hemmerling, and Henning. They all likely have the same origin but have likely changed over time due to pronunciation and spelling variations.
In Germany, variant spelling of Heming include Hemmber and Hemmerling, which may be related to a historical figure that had an influence on German naming conventions in the region. Other German variants include Heemeringen and Heemink.
The origin of the surname Hemmenga and its variants is not clear, however it is likely to have evolved from a combination of several different names and spellings to become the Hemmenga that it is today.
Famous people with the name Hemmenga
- Anke Hemmenga: German researcher in behavioral biology
- Bastiaan Hemmenga: Dutch painter
- Benjamín Hemmenga: Chilean lawyer and human rights activist
- Corinne Hemmenga: Dutch former rower
- Mariska Hemmenga: Dutch singer
- Mauk Hemmenga: Dutch football manager
- Mees Hemmenga: Dutch swimmer
- Sander Hemmenga: Former Dutch swimmer
- Thorsten Hemmenga: German professional footballer
- Wilchen Hemmenga: Dutch former cyclist and rower