Surname Töpke - Meaning and Origin
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Töpke: What does the surname Töpke mean?
The last name Töpke is of German origin and is believed to be a topographical name derived from the word "top" (which means hill or crest in German) combined with the German suffix "-ke" meaning small or diminutive. This could imply that the original bearer of the name was someone who lived on a hill or near the top of a mountain.
The earliest record of the name dates back to 1241 when a Thomas Topeke was mentioned in the yearbooks for the city of Braunschweig, Germany. Since then, the name has been found in records throughout the country, most notably in Bremen, Hannover, and Ostfriesland.
Interestingly, the name Töpke can also be found in more modern records in Denmark and the Netherlands as well. It is believed that these bearers of the name were likely descended from German migrants who moved to those countries in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today, the Töpke family is still a popular surname in many parts of Germany, especially in northern and western regions. It remains a symbol of the proud German heritage and history of the family.
Order DNA origin analysisTöpke: Where does the name Töpke come from?
The last name Töpke is common primarily in Germany and areas where German immigration has taken place in the past such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The name Töpke originated in northwestern Germany in the early 15th century and is believed to be derived from the Low German topke, meaning a ‘petite vessel.’ This likely refers to a small beer mug, tankard, or container and likely denotes the trade of a brewer or tapster in the family’s past.
Today, Töpke is one of the most common German surnames with approximately 277,478 people sharing the last name. The highest concentrations of the name are concentrated in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Hesse.
Those with the last name Töpke have also emigrated to other countries, particularly to the United States and Canada. In the U.S., people with the name Töpke are particularly heavily concentrated in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. In Canada, there are concentrations in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Alberta.
Australians with the name Töpke are concentrated in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland in that order.
The Töpke name continues to thrive throughout the world, bringing with it centuries of German history and tradition.
Variations of the surname Töpke
The surname Töpke has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The primary variant of Töpke is Topke, which is the topographic surname for someone who lives at the peak of a hill, and could be found in medieval Germany and parts of Europe. Topke and Topky were the two topographic spellings found in the 13th century. Other early variants of Töpke were Tupeke, Tupken, Topke, and Toepke.
The surnames Töpke and Topke both derive from the Germanic given name "Tobias", with the suffix "-ke/ken" making it patronymic. This was common among the German people and other countries throughout Europe during the medieval period. Other surnames which are derived from Töpke include Toepken, Toepker, Toepkener, Toepking, Topking, Topkings, and Topken.
The surname Töpke is associated with several geographical locations in Germany such as the Leipzig-Halle area, Silesia, and East Prussia. It can also be found in many other countries such as the United States, Australia, and Canada.
Whether they be spelt Töpke, Topke, or any of their variants, all of these surnames are of the one origin and likely all descend from the same family tree.
Famous people with the name Töpke
- Andreas Töpke: a German politician who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony from 1986 to 1991
- Ingo Töpke: a German economist and professor at the Georg August University of Göttingen
- Jürgen Töpke: a German football manager and former player
- Lars Töpke: a German psychotherapist, coach and environmental consultant
- Monika Töpke: a German movie and theater actress
- Norman Töpke: a German composer, pianist, music arranger and producer
- Stefan Töpke: a German politician, member of the Party of European Socialists
- Susann Töpke-Behrens: a German historian
- Andreas G. Töpke: a German theoretical physicist and professor of astrophysics at the University of Göttingen
- Markus Töpke: a German handball player