Surname Meineke - Meaning and Origin
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Meineke: What does the surname Meineke mean?
The surname Meineke is an occupational name derived from "Meinike", which was a medieval German term for a mayor or a small ruler. The original Meinike was likely a high-ranking official in a village or small town, often responsible for collecting rents and maintaining law and order.
Meineke is a common German surname and can be found in many parts of the world, including the United States, Australia and parts of Europe. In many regions, the name has been changed or adapted in some way, such as Mennig, Menig, Mennicke, Meenig, and Menneke. It has also been told that in Germany, the name may be derived from the town of Mineke, which is in Lower Saxony near Hanover.
The earliest mention of the name is found in the 1368 records of the town of Hagenow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, when a man named Johannes Meinike was recorded as a brewer. The Meineke surname also appears in records from the 1500s in the former East Prussia, which is now part of northern Poland. The name continued to be found in the records as more branches of the family migrated to different parts of Germany, the Netherlands and even North America.
The Meineke name has been around for many centuries and continues to be found in many countries to this day. It is an interesting name and one that may have an interesting history, but more research needs to be done to learn more about its origin and history.
Order DNA origin analysisMeineke: Where does the name Meineke come from?
The last name Meineke is common in the German-speaking countries of Germany and Austria. It is also relatively common in Nordrhein-Westfalen, a state in western Germany. The last name can also be found in the United States, largely due to German immigration to America during the 19th century. The majority of people with the last name Meineke in the US live in California and Texas.
The last name Meineke can also be found in the Netherlands, Poland, and Scandinavia. In these countries, it is primarily found in the northern and western regions. It is also present in some other parts of Europe such as France, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland.
In Australia, the name Meineke is relatively rare; however, it is more common in New Zealand. Canada does not have a large population of Meineke but can be found in some of the larger cities.
It is thought that the last name Meineke originated from the name of a location called Meineke. This place is said to have been the ancestral home of the Meineke family. Over time, the name spread throughout Europe and eventually, to other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Meineke
The surname Meineke is a German and Dutch surname derived from the Germanic personal name Mainhard, composed of two elements: main, meaning “power; strength” and hard, meaning “brave, hardy”. This surname has a variety of spellings and variants, including Mineke, Meine, Mainck, Mainke, Maink, Meinck, Meink, Meinke, Meinkele, Meinkemann, and Meinecke and has appeared in documents in various forms, including de Meineke, Meinekin, Meineke, and Minekin.
In Germany, some variants now have become separate surnames, such as Mienke, Maneke, Mainecke, Mohnke, Monke, Monken, and Moncken. In the Netherlands, variants include Mene, Menk, Mennens, Mennis, Menken, Menkens, Mennink, Menning, Menninga, Minne, Mins, Mink, and Minnes. In the United States there have been some changes in the spelling of this surname, including Meinert, Mieneke, Meenken, Meenecke, Minneke, Meneke, Menkie and many others.
The spelling of this surname is usually traceable to the language and country of one's ancestors. Those with the Meineke surname can often trace their descent through multiple generations, making it possible to trace the development of the spelling of the surname. In addition, some branches of this family also have their own distinct spelling variants and surnames. For example, Muhlenberg is a branch of the Meineke family that originates from the town of Muhlenberg, Germany. Other branches of the Meineke family include Wilken, Bringmann, Crusius, and Hoffmann.
Famous people with the name Meineke
- Jens Meineke: German professional football player
- Mike Meineke: American NASCAR driver
- Steven Meineke: American drag racer
- Vytenis Meineke: Lithuanian three-time Olympic medalist in rowing
- Helmut Meineke: German floorball player and coach
- Carsten Meineke: German ski jumper who won the Four Hills Tournament in 1972
- Anthony Meineke: American landscape architect
- Heinz Meineke: German professor of international law
- Erwin Meineke: German rugby union player and coach
- Ernst Meineke: German philologist and tragedian