Surname Rehmke - Meaning and Origin
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Rehmke: What does the surname Rehmke mean?
The last name Rehmke is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German “rahm” meaning 'frame' or 'confine.' It likely originated as a name for someone who worked in a frame-making shop, creating things like window frames or picture frames.
The first recorded use of Rehmke as a surname dates back to the 1500s, with the earliest known recorded use being in the German town of Ahrensleben. As a result, the surname is most commonly found in places with German heritage, albeit with some variants in spelling such as from Rehmke to Röhmke, Roehmke, and Remke.
In modern times, the name Rehmke still retains its meaning of 'frame-maker' and as a result, has been popular among several famous entrepreneurs and inventors, such as Franz Rehmke, a German engineer who is credited with inventing the world’s first aircraft that used a drive shaft, as well as Wilhelm Rehmke, an geophysicist known for developing magnetometric air mapping.
The Rehmke surname is a testament to the ingenious creativity of German-speakers throughout the ages and is a reminder of the importance of innovation and creativity in our lives today.
Order DNA origin analysisRehmke: Where does the name Rehmke come from?
The last name Rehmke is not particularly common. There are no countries in which it is particularly concentrated, and according to the WorldNames PublicProfiler website, it is distributed fairly evenly across most countries in Europe.
As of late 2019, the highest concentrations of people with the surname Rehmke was in Germany and other countries in Central Europe. Within Germany, the surname is concentrated mostly in the northern and western parts of the country, including Berlin, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein.
It is also present in other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Russia, but in smaller numbers. Rehmke is also found in the United States, especially in the Midwestern and Northeastern states, with fewer people in other parts of the country.
Finally, there are people with the Rehmke surname scattered throughout the world, though it is still relatively rare. For example, it can be found in Canada, Australia, and some south and eastern African countries. In total, the WorldNames PublicProfiler estimates that there are around 11,000 people in the world with the last name Rehmke.
Variations of the surname Rehmke
The surname Rehmke is derived from the German word ‘Rhein’ (river) and ‘Kuh’ (cow). It is an occupational name and was first used by someone who was a cowherd employed on a riverbank. In addition to Rehmke, spellings and variants that can be encountered include Reimke, Reimkeh, Reimmke, Reimkeh, Reemke, Reemkeh, Reyemke and Reomenke.
Rehme is the most common variant of Rehmke. It is derived from the Middle Low German word “rehme”, and it originally meant a border or a boundary. As a surname, it is used to refer to a person with strong connections to a particular place. This variant is quite widespread in Germany, but it can also occasionally appear outside the country’s borders.
The surname Reime can have two possible origins. It may be derived from the Middle High German word rīme, which connotes a female sewer or embroiderer, or it may come from the Middle Low German word rīme, which suggests a boundary or a delimitation.
Reimers is a surname derived from the first name Reinmar, which sometimes appears as Reimar or Reymar. The name is derived from the Germanic elements ragin (advice) and mari (famous).
Reimerssohn and Reimartz are surnames derived from the first name Reimar. Reimerssohn is essentially an ornamental form of the family name Reimer and Reimartz is derived from the first name Reimar with the German suffix -witz, which means ‘son of’.
Finally, the surnames Rehmann and Rehmel are derived from the Middle High German rehin and rehein, which roughly translate to ‘river dweller’ and ‘soothing presence’ respectively. All of these spellings and variants of Rehmke originate from the Germanic region.
Famous people with the name Rehmke
- Margot Rehmke: a German novelist, playwright, journalist and screenwriter
- August Rehmke: the founder of St. August Rehmke Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mecklenburg, Germany
- Hans Rehmke: a physicist, robotics specialist, professor, and director of the Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics at the Technical University of Munich
- Nick Rehmke: a professional triathlete from Germany
- Corsten Rehmke: a professional bass player and co-founder of the German rock band, Seer
- Mary Rehmke: a former American Airways executive
- Erich Rehmke: a German WWII U-boat commander
- Uwe Rehmke: a former President of the German Railway Association
- Wolfgang Rehmke: a former German politician and a leading member of the Christian Democratic Union
- Harald Rehmke: a research fellow at the Institute of Technical Mechanics at the University of Stuttgart
- Johannes Rehmke: a prominent German theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Bonn
- Moreta Rehmke: an American voice actress
- Benjamin Rehmke: a German photographer who focuses on documentary, landscape and street photography
- Christoph Rehmke: a German former competitive figure skater and current coach
- Ina Rehmke: a German former alpine skier who competed on the World Cup circuit
- Sylvia Rehmke: a former German figure skating champion