Surname Schäncke - Meaning and Origin
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Schäncke: What does the surname Schäncke mean?
The last name Schäncke is a German surname, deriving from the old German word meaning ‘schanc’ or ‘fence’. It is thought to have originally referred to people who constructed or mended fences or barriers. The surname is likely to have originated in northern Germany and spread to other regions by mostly middle-class members of society, do to its relative obscurity.
The surname could also be an occupational name for someone who operated an apothecary or a pharmacy. Apothecaries were found in almost every village in Germany and were held in great esteem up until the 19th century. It could also be a nickname for someone with a particularly thin frame or build.
Overall, the last name Schäncke is not common, representing just 0.00603% of German surnames. However, those bearing the surname can take heart in its 1000 year history in Germany and the remarkable character traits their forebears may have inherited.
Order DNA origin analysisSchäncke: Where does the name Schäncke come from?
The last name Schäncke is a German surname most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking countries today. It is also found in small numbers in other countries, particularly the Netherlands, Austria, France, the Czech Republic, and the United States.
The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 16th century, when an individual named Hans Schäncke was documented as a citizen of Hamburg, Germany in 1581. It is believed that the surname was derived from a German occupational name describing someone who practiced a trade such as shoemaking or cobbling.
In Germany, the Schäncke surname is most commonly found in the states of Bavaria, Saxony, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Netherlands, where the name is also common, is believed to have been settled by Germans in the 1800s, which would explain its presence in Dutch records.
In the United States, Schäncke can be found in records going back to the late 19th century, with immigrants of German descent from Europe usually settling in cities in the Midwest, particularly in Michigan.
Today, the Schäncke surname is still common in Germany, the Netherlands and other neighboring nations, although it is used in fewer numbers than in the past. It is also found in small numbers in other countries, such as France, the Czech Republic and the United States, due to post-World War II emigration from Germany and other areas of Europe.
Variations of the surname Schäncke
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname “Schäncke” can vary depending on the language in which the surname originated. For example, in German, the spelling variations can be written as "Schönke," "Schänk," "Shank" or "Shankes." In Dutch and Flemish, the spelling variations of the surname can include "Schoncke," "Schancke" or "Schsaenke."
In Jewish communities, the surname may originate from the German word "schanchen," meaning to protect. In this case, "Schäncke," or one of its spelling variations, may have been used as an occupational surname for a watchman or custodian.
In Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian, the surname is "Schank," while in Polish it can also take on the form “Szanke."
In North American countries, like the United States or Canada, families of German or Dutch origin who carry the surname often use variations such as "Shank," "Schank," "Schonk" or "Shonk" for the original "Schäncke." In addition, the surname has also been recorded as "Schenke," "Schonke," "Schenck," "Schonck" and "Schönck".
No matter what language or country the surname originates from, "Schäncke" and its variants all have the same origin, reflecting a family of Germanic or Dutch heritage coming from the household of a watchman or custodian in past centuries.
Famous people with the name Schäncke
- Heinz Schäncke (1924–2005): East German footballer and manager.
- Armin Schäncke (born 1970): German figure skater and skating coach.
- Richard Schäncke (1797–1857): German humanist and publicist.
- Johann Gottlieb Schäncke (1753–1835): German historian and musicologist.
- Christian Schäncke (1780–1857): Prussian Army Major General.
- Johannes Schäncke (1862–1935): German archaeologist and historian.
- Adam Schäncke (1856–1937): German sculptor and writer.
- Anders Schäncke (1883–1957): Swedish military officer and recipient of the Order of the Sword.
- David Schäncke (born 1971): German actor.
- Ernst Schäncke (1844–1918): German civil engineer and architect.
- Christian-Johannes Schäncke (1789–1863): German theologian and educator.
- Karl Schäncke (1820–1902): German geographer and explorer.
- Matthias Schäncke (1779–1859): German philosopher and theologian.
- Johann Schäncke (1854–1894): German physicist and energy consultant.
- Johann Friedrich Schäncke (1802–1867): German architect.