Surname Kalck - Meaning and Origin
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Kalck: What does the surname Kalck mean?
The last name Kalck is of German origin. It is a variant of the given name “Karl,” which means “free man.” As an occupational name, Kalck is derived from the Middle High German word “kalk,” which referred to someone who worked in a kiln or a lime kiln. As an inhabitant name, it originally indicated a person from the region of Kalck in Baden-Wuerttemberg in southwestern Germany.
The Kalck name is first recorded in Mecklenburg in the 13th century, where it was mainly found as an occupation name and as an inhabitant of the Kalck region. In the 19th century, the Kalck family spread from Germany to the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is now common among families whose ancestors immigrated from Germany in the 19th century or earlier.
Today, those who bear the surname Kalck can be found in various countries, including the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. While the origin of the name is German, due to its long history in the United States and other immigration countries, the Kalck surname is now used widely outside of Germany. On the German island of Rügen, the family is still predominantly found in the Kalck region. This is a testament to the long history of the Kalck family in this part of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisKalck: Where does the name Kalck come from?
The last name Kalck is most commonly found in Germany. According to surname popularity research, people with the Kalck surname are particularly concentrated in the southwestern region of the country, in states like Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria. In general, the surname is quite rare within the German population, being less than 0.001% of the population.
Outside of Germany, the Kalck surname can be found in many parts of the world, especially throughout Europe, although mostly in small numbers. The countries with the greatest number of Kalck's outside of Germany include Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and other German-speaking countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Kalck surname is also present in the United States, in particular, around the Midwest region and large cities such as Chicago.
In Canada, the Kalck surname appears to be especially common in the Nova Scotia province.
Overall, the Kalck surname is very uncommon worldwide. It is, however, a part of a larger Germanic name pool, along with similar surnames such as Kalk, Kalkhube, Kalckreuth, and Kalcke.
Variations of the surname Kalck
The surname Kalck is an alternate spelling of the German surname Kalch. It is considered to be an occupational name derived from the Middle Low German word “kalke” which means container or sieve. This surname has several variant spellings and related surnames, both in Germany and elsewhere.
Variant spellings of the name Kalck include Kalch, Kalk, Kalke, Kaalk, Kaelch, Kaelk, Kaelke, and Kaalken. These variants were likely a result of phonetic variants of naming conventions.
Surnames related to Kalck may include Kalkmann, Kaalkreuter, Kaalkamp, Kalkemaker, Kalckholz, and Kalkbrenner. These surnames may have originated from toponymic or locational surnames denoting one from a specific geographical place, or from an ancestor's occupation.
In the modern world, Kalck and its variants remain an uncommon surname found mostly in Germany and the USA, where German immigrants brought the name with them. Other countries where this surname is found in small numbers include Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada, and Norway.
Famous people with the name Kalck
- Jean Joseph Marie Amiot Kalck: prominent French lawyer in the the 18th century who assisted in drafting the French Penal Code of 1791, which inspired some of the United States’ own penal code.
- Charles Kalck: French photographer most notable for his photographs taken in Algeria between 1866-1869 commissioned and published by the French military.
- Max Kalck: French pianist, organist, and composer active in the early-20th century especially in Paris.
- Victor Kalck: prominent French writer noted for his contributions to the Champ Libre series, the Guerin Collection, and academic works.
- Stanislas Kalck: Belgian painter who had a varied and long career, during which he navigated the area between realism and abstract art.
- Hermann Kalck: Luxembourg theologian particularly known for his work in biblical exegesis, and his advocacy for a liberal interpretation of the Bible.
- Clara Kalck: Dutch sculptor and illustrator known especially for her illustration activity in the Netherlands and France in the mid-20th century.
- Stephen Kalck: popular British radio personality well known for his afternoon and evening show on BBC Radio 2.