Surname Oehmcke - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'O'
Oehmcke: What does the surname Oehmcke mean?
The last name Oehmcke is a German surname derived from the Old Slavic personal name Oham. The name, which is often spelled Ohmke, Ohme, and Oehmcke, is derived from 'Ohamir' which means 'mighty ear'. The name can also be derived from the word "ohm" which is a unit of electrical resistance in the metric system.
The name Oehmcke is typically found among people in northern and central Germany. It is estimated that today, there are currently around 17,000 people with the Oehmcke name across Germany. Oehmcke is a relatively uncommon last name and is a more rare variant than some alternative spellings such as Oemcke, Ohme, and Ohmke.
The earliest documented instance of the Oehmcke name is 1141, where a man by the name of Lutfridus Oemcke was first mentioned in an account book in Hildesheim, Germany. Other early examples of the name can be found in the 13th century under the variant Ohmke, where a Heyko Ohmke was mentioned as living in Berlin, Germany in 1274.
Throughout its history, the Oehmcke surname has been associated with a wide variety of professions including merchants, government officials, traders and architects. In modern times, the Oehmcke name continues to be associated with success and accomplishment, and many people with the surname are well-known figures in Germany and beyond.
Order DNA origin analysisOehmcke: Where does the name Oehmcke come from?
The last name Oehmcke is mainly found in countries of Northern Europe. It is particularly common in Germany. Countries that share borders with Germany including Poland, Denmark, Austria, and Belgium also have a significant number of people with the last name of Oehmcke.
In Germany, the origin of the name Oehmcke is believed to be from a term that means ‘son of the merchant’. With regards to its geographical origin, it is thought to have originated from either Saxony or Brandenburg. Based on records from the 1940s, Oehmcke was one of the most common surnames in Germany. That said, it is still widely used by many Germans today.
The Oehmcke name can also be found in smaller numbers in many other parts of Europe. This can be attributed to the historical migrations of the German people throughout the region during the 19th century. As a result, some Oehmcke immigrants made their way to the United States and Canada as well as other countries like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
In short, the last name Oehmcke is most common in Germany but can also be found in other countries across Europe and beyond. As a result of the historical movement of people, traces of the Oehmcke surname can be found in many different parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Oehmcke
Oehmcke is a German surname deriving from a nickname based on a Germanic personal name, possibly spelled as Oheim or Ueheim. The surname is also known by various alternative spellings, such as Ehmcke, Ähmcke, Ehmke, Oemcke and Uehmcke. It is derived from a Germanic personal name that is probably related to the modern day German ‘Öhme’ and could be a nickname based upon Oheim. Historically, this name was found in various states of the Holy Roman Empire, such as Westphalia, Saxony and Prussia.
The variations and spellings of this surnames ultimately depend on the regional dialects in which the surname developed. As the surname moved outward from its Germanic origin, variants began to develop. With immigration to other countries, variants of the name began to arise, such as Oehmecke in the Netherlands and Oemecke in France. In Dutch, pronunciation of the ‘ö’ was changed to ‘oe’, thus resulting in the current spelling, Oehmcke.
One of the known related variants of the surname Oehmcke is Oehlmann. This variant is found mainly in northern Germany and the Netherlands, possibly due to migration of family members in past centuries. It is derived via the German prefix 'Oe' (like the English 'E') and the word 'helmet' for 'he is the one who wears a helmet'.
In England and in English-speaking countries, the surname is often Anglicised as Ohmack or Ohmeck. It is a combination of the German prefix ‘Oe’ and the word ‘Meck', an old German word for ‘Middle’. This indicates that the original ancestor of the name lived in the middle of the area in which he lived.
No matter the variant, the surname Oehmcke is an indication of your family's German ancestry.
Famous people with the name Oehmcke
- Daniel Oehmcke: German professional basketball player.
- Claudia Oehmcke: German ice skater.
- Wieke de Oehmcke: Dutch politician.
- Thomas Oehmcke: German professor and expert in science and technology policy.
- Alexander Oehmcke: German solo flutist and teacher.
- Marlis Oehmcke: German actress.
- Rudi Oehmcke: German football pundit and manager.
- Christoph Oehmcke: German diver.
- Johannes Oehmcke: German racing driver.
- Laura Oehmcke: German politician.
- Fred Oehmcke: American football linesman.
- Gert Oehmcke: German water polo player.
- Karl Oehmcke: German poet and author.
- Charles Oehmcke: American artist.
- Evan Oehmcke: American actor.