Surname Kerkes - Meaning and Origin
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Kerkes: What does the surname Kerkes mean?
Kerkes is a Dutch surname with roots in the Netherlands and Germany. It is believed to come from the German word kerk, which means church. This suggests that the original bearer of the name likely had a connection to a church or a religious institution.
The earliest recorded instance of this surname was in 1530 when a man named Liewert Kerken was recorded as living in the town of Amerongen in the Utrecht province. It is uncertain whether or not Kerken was actually the surname of this person, but it is possible that the name was a sign of nobility or social status at the time.
The origin of the name is uncertain, but one possibility is that the original bearer of the name was a church guardian, which would explain the Germanic origin of the name. It could also be derived from the Dutch or German words for forester, kerckhoff, or jaegersberg, which may indicate that the original bearer of the name was a gamekeeper.
Today, the name is most common in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States. It is a unique last name, and is carried by only a small number of people. It remains a reminder of a time when many families had a connection to a local church or prestigious institution.
Order DNA origin analysisKerkes: Where does the name Kerkes come from?
Kerkes is an uncommon Dutch patronymic surname, meaning "son of Kerke," derived from the given name Kerke. Although the given name has now almost disappeared, the surname is still in use among descendants of Dutch colonists, mainly in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia. In the United States, the areas with the highest concentration of people with the last name Kerkes are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska.
In modern Dutch, Kerkes is rarely found in its original spelling. It has also become a part of other surnames such as van Kerckhoven, Kerckhoffs and Kerckhofs. The spelling of these names has also been less consistent due to the loss of the original name Kerke in Dutch. The spelling of the surname Kerkes can also be found outside of the Netherlands, mostly due to the influence of the Flemish (Belgium) dialect.
The prevalence of this surname in the Americas is likely a result of Flemish emigrants to what is now considered the United States during the 1600s. Further migrations to Canada, Australia and South Africa – spurred by the Dutch East India Company and Dutch settlers – may have also contributed to the spread of the surname.
In general, the prevalence of the Kerkes surname is much lower today than it was in the past. In spite of this, the surname is still found in the areas where it was most common centuries ago – mostly in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia.
Variations of the surname Kerkes
Kerkes is a surname of Dutch origin that first appeared in records around the 1600s. The early forms of the name often contained double letters and were sometimes spelled as Keerkes. Later, the name was simplified to Kerkes.
Variations of the spelling Kerkes include Keerkes, Kerkis, Kerkiss, Karkes, Kerkese, and Kerk. Surnames of Dutch origin that may have the same origin include Kerkhoffs, Kerkhoff, Kerkman, Kerkmans, Kerkstra, and Kerkkamp.
Variations of the surname can sometimes be attributed to an ancestor's place of origin in the Netherlands or to an ancestor's given name. For example, the surname Kerkhoffs may have been derived from the Dutch word for chapel, while Kerkstra may have been derived from the Dutch word for church. Similarly, the surnames Kerkman and Kerkmans may have been derived from the Dutch given name Kerk, or derived from the word "kerc," which can mean a building or a place of gathering and worship.
The spelling of Kerkes has continued to evolve over the years, making it hard to determine its exact origin or meaning. Nevertheless, the alternative spellings and variations of Kerkes provide important clues that can be used in family history research and genealogical investigations.
Famous people with the name Kerkes
- Jules Kerkes: Dutch film director, screenwriter and producer
- Denzil David Kerkes: South African long jumper
- Pedro de Kerkes: Spanish footballer
- Esra Kerkes: Dutch politician
- Montserrat Kerkes: Spanish journalist
- Maureen Kerkes: Dutch model
- Geart van der Kerken: Dutch musician
- Kjaersten Kerkes: Danish electric violinist
- Harry Kerkes: Australian architect
- Sally Kerkes: American producer, director, and editor