Surname Meink - Meaning and Origin
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Meink: What does the surname Meink mean?
The surnames Meink and Meinck are derived from the German occupational name “Meinke”, which is an occupational name for a cobbler, shoemaker, or leatherworker. The term “Meinke” is composed of the Middle Low German elements “mein” meaning “mine” and “ke” meaning “merchant.” It was likely given to someone who owned a shoe store or leather goods shop.
The surname Meink is an English-language variation of the name, which was likely adopted by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the United States and other English-speaking countries. In the United States, the name Meink is most commonly found in the states of Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio, around major German-speaking cities like Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago.
The name Meink has also been adopted by families descended from German immigrants in other countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, and Canada. It is likely to be even more widespread throughout the world as German and other European immigrants settled around the globe.
Overall, the name Meink is closely associated with the German-speaking world and its occupational origins. Its presence all across the world shows the spread of German culture and history throughout the past centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisMeink: Where does the name Meink come from?
The last name Meink is most commonly found today in Germany, but still appears in a few other countries including the United States, Canada, and countries in Europe like France, Italy, and the UK. It is particularly common in the Rhineland region of Germany where it has been recorded as being the most frequent surname since the 1990s.
In the US, the surname Meink appears in thirty states and has been identified with American families since the mid-1800s. The upper Midwest region has the highest concentration of Meinks (including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana) with the states of Texas, California, New York, and Pennsylvania falls on the lower end of the list as far as occurrence of the name.
In Canada, the Meink surname can also be found in various provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
The surname has also been included in records in France, Italy, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, Norway, and Denmark.
Meink is derived from the Old German personal name Meinhard which can also be found as a last name. Meinhard has its origins in a combination of two elements from the Germanic language, 'meini' meaning power, and 'hardu' meaning strong, brave, and hardy.
Variations of the surname Meink
The surname Meink can be spelled Meineke, Meinken, Meinke, Meinecke, Meneke, Meinke-Ruebel, or Mencke. All of these variants, spellings, and surnames are of Germanic origin.
Meineke is thought to have evolved from either the Germanic personal name Magnik or the Germanic adjectival form Magnaka, which means ‘strong’. It was used by a variety of families who lived in areas near Hanover and Brunswick.
Meinken is a patronymic surname. It was originally derived from the German personal name ‘Meinke’ and is thought to have evolved from either the Germanic personal name Magnik or the Germanic adjectival form Magnaka. It is believed that the first recorded instance of the surname was in 1409 when Heinricus dictus Meincken was recorded in Pyrmont, Germany.
Meinke is also a patronymic surname. It was originally derived from the German personal name ‘Meinke’ and is thought to have evolved from either the Germanic personal name Magnik or the Germanic adjectival form Magnaka. Some researchers think it may have been linked to the Duke of Mecklenburg in the 13th century.
Meinecke is thought to have derived from the Low German word ‘minke’ which means ‘woman’. The first recorded instance of the surname was found in 1302 where Ruddyft Meineken was noted in Stendal, Germany.
Meneke is an alternate spelling of Meineke, and was most commonly used in northern Germany. The origin of this variant is the same as Meineke and Meinken.
Meinke-Ruebel is the combination of two German surnames—Meinke and Ruebel. This surname was most commonly found in northern Germany, and is thought to have developed from a hospitable landowner in the 15th century.
Mencke is the Low German version of Meinke and is also thought to have evolved from either the Germanic personal name Magnik or the Germanic adjectival form Magnaka. It is believed that the first recorded instance of this surname was in 1546 in Hamburg, Germany.
Famous people with the name Meink
- Jim Meink: American college track and field athlete, specialising in the discus throw; won a bronze medal at the 1981 Pan American Games.
- Barry Meink: American baseball player who played from 1990 to 1998 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
- Phil Meink: German football player, who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club Kaiserslautern.
- Bill Meink: Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played in the NHL for six different teams in the 1980s and 1990s.
- Karen Meink: American author and professor who is most notable for books such as Shifting Grounds, The Floating Order, and Learning Democracy: A Guide to Community Organizing.
- Owen Meink: American racing driver, most notably competing in the American Midwest Sprint Car Series.
- Ed Meink: American professional bass angler who competes in the Bassmaster Elite Series.
- Mike Meink: American guitar player and composer, best known as a former guitarist for the hard rock supergroup B'z.
- Mark Meink: American attorney and lobbyist who founded Meink Law Group, a practice devoted to lobbying clients before state governments, with a focus on Washington and Oregon.
- Henry Meink: German opera singer and actor who performed at various opera houses throughout Europe, including Dresden's Semperoper and the Royal Opera House in London.