Surname Heringslake - Meaning and Origin

Heringslake: What does the surname Heringslake mean?

The last name Heringslake is of Germanic origin and is derived from a combination of two words: haring which means herring and lak which means lake. Altogether, it is believed to be a reference to a place near a lake where herrings once swam in great abundance. This type of settlement was common in Central and Eastern Europe during the middle ages.

Heringslake is an old Germanic name, and the heritage of the family can be traced back to a time just after the Migration Period (4th - 7th centuries A.D.). Those originating with the Heringslake surname were likely from areas near the great herring lakes of the Baltic, as well as the North Sea coast in what is now Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Heringslake name has been found in numerous documents and records. References to the name have been found in court rolls, religious documents, as well as in the work of historians. Documents from the 13th century mention a certain “Herringelaich,” which is probably a variant of the name.

The Heringslake family is a lengthy one, with members spread across several countries. Every member shares the same distinguished heritage from long ago, grounded in a history that no doubt gave them the strength and will to succeed.

Heringslake: Where does the name Heringslake come from?

The last name Heringslake is a rare Dutch surname, strongly associated with the area of Amsterdam and the region of North Holland, Netherlands. Although this surname is infrequently found in the Netherlands, minor occurrences of Heringslake can be found outside of the Netherlands. Records show that the surname Heringslake is most common today in the small island country of Aruba, which is located in the Caribbean Sea.

Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and many families of Dutch heritage have permanently settled in the country. When the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved in 2010, Aruba maintained its constitution as a country separate from the Netherlands and is currently an autonomous self-governing island. It was during this period that many Dutch emigrants moved to the Caribbean for a greater independence.

The surname Heringslake is found in the records of the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. Additionally, records have been located in the Dominican Republic and Colombia, implying that Dutch emigrants once made their homes in these countries. Having originated from the Netherlands, this surname still persists in the Caribbean Sea today, although many individuals who bear this name have adapted it to suit local customs. As a result, it can also be seen under the adapted spellings of Herringzlake, Eringslak and Heringzlake.

Variations of the surname Heringslake

The surname Heringslake is one that can trace its origin back to a family of Germanic settlers in England during the Medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old Germanic personal name ‘Hering’, meaning ‘an army’ combined with ‘slake’, a word denoting a lake or stream.

Although the original spelling of Heringslake remains the same today, there are a number of variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. Spellings such as Haringleslake, Herigleslake and Haringslake are all derivatives of the same root name.

Surnames of a similar origin but slightly different spelling include Herington, Herrington, and Herntell. This variation may have come as a result of name changes as it spread throughout England during the medieval period.

Other surnames of the same root name that were developed in different parts of the country include Herringham, Herringsham, Herringford and Heringfield.

The surname Heringslake has since found its way to many other countries, with some areas in the USA, Canada, Australia and more recording the name in various forms. Even when it is spelt or pronounced slightly differently, the root name of Heringslake can still be identified.

Famous people with the name Heringslake

• Ralph Heringlake (17th-century Dutch painter)
• Ernst-Ulrich Heringlake (German-born artist)
• Jacob Heringlake (English painter active in the 15th and 16th centuries)
• Heinrich Alfred Heringlake (German photographer in 19th century)
• Elise Heringlake (19th-century sculptor from Rudolph Chapel in Prague, Czech Republic)
• Lena Heringlake (artist, writer, and third-generation Berlin artist)
• Philip Heringlake (English artist and wood engraver of the 16th century)
• Friedrich Ludwig Heringlake (German classical composer of the 18th and 19th centuries)
• Georg Heringlake (German sculptor; Known for his life-sized statue of a lion)
• Ture Heringlake (Swedish politician)

Other surnames

Heringslack