Surname Volkenrath - Meaning and Origin

Volkenrath: What does the surname Volkenrath mean?

The last name Volkenrath is derived from a combination of two German words, "volk" and "rathe." The first word "volk" is derived from an old Germanic word meaning “people” or “folk”, while the second word "rathe" comes from the Low German form of “rat” or “counsel.” Thus, the full meaning of the name is “People's Council”.

The Volkenrath family's presence in Germany and Central Europe can be traced back to the early 15th century. During the later part of the Middle Ages, the family can be found in the County Hohenlohe in today's Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany, where the family members held significant positions in local government. The Volkenrath surname then spread through a succession of marriages with other influential German families.

The Volkenrath family coat of arms includes a single black castle on a white background, symbolizing power and prestige. It is a representation of the family's long standing status a powerful German family for hundreds of years.

Throughout the generations, the Volkenrath family has maintained a distinct identity and a presence in German culture. Notable members of the Volkenrath family include the German war criminal, Louis Volkenrath, and German composer and organist, Karl-Adolf Volkenrath. The name remains to this day in many parts of Germany and the German-speaking regions of Europe.

Volkenrath: Where does the name Volkenrath come from?

The last name Volkenrath is not a particularly common name today, and there are far fewer places where it is seen. In the United States, there is one census record from 2010 that lists the last name Volkenrath, but no further information is given, suggesting the bearer of the name does not live in the country.

In Germany, however, the name is more prevalent. According to the Deutsche Namenarchiv, the last name Volkenrath is found in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. The records indicate that the last name was quite common in 1906-1908, with somewhere between 400 and 500 people bearing this surname at that time.

It is likely that the German town of Volkenrath was the origin of this last name. The town has a long history and is mentioned in documents going back as far as 1226. It was most active during the Middle Ages, featuring a castle and moated fortifications around the town. The town is still present today, although much smaller than it once was.

Given the current prevalence of the name Volkenrath, it seems likely that this town is the origin of the surname, and that the original Volkenraths were likely descended from the people of this small town.

Variations of the surname Volkenrath

The surname Volkenrath has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

The most common variants are Volkenraad and Volkmerat.

Other variants include Volkenrant, Vollkenrath, Volknerath, Volckenrad, Fulknerat, Valkenraad, and Vollkenraad.

The most popular spellings are Völkenrath, Voelkenrath, Völkerath, and Völknerath.

Alternate surnames that derive from the same origin and have a similar meaning are Mulkenrath, Wilkenerath, Wilkenrat, Mulkerat, Wilkesrath, Wilkenrath, Wohlkenrath, and Wilkenrad.

The origin of the surname Volkenrath is German. It is derived from the Middle High German word ‘vol’ which means “people” and ‘rad’ which means “wheel,” referring metaphorically to community. Thus, the surname literally translates to “people’s wheel” or “wheel of the people,” suggesting a sense of social or communal cooperation.

Given the widely-divergent spelling and linguistic variations of the surname Volkenrath, it is likely that this surname was adopted by families from different languages and regions, and it continues to be used across many countries today.

Famous people with the name Volkenrath

• Sepp Volkenrath: Sepp Volkenrath was a German Nazi SS commander of Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. He was also a member of the Nazi Lebensborn.
• Waldemar Volkenrath: Waldemar Volkenrath was also a Nazi SS officer who served as a commandant of a concentration camp in Majdanek. He was convicted by the Allies for his role in atrocities and was hung in 1946.
• Joachim Volkenrath: Joachim Volkenrath was a German SS officer who was a commandant in the Auschwitz concentration camp and the Majdanek extermination camp. He was convicted by the Allies of war crimes and was hung in April 1964.
• Hubert Volkenrath: Hubert Volkenrath was an SS Colonel who served as the head of the security office at Auschwitz, and later as director of concentration camp affairs in the Main Economic and Administrative Office. He was convicted of war crimes in 1947 and sentenced to death.
• Friedrich Volkenrath: Friedrich Volkenrath was a senior SS leader who served as the Head of the Reich Security Office in 1943. He was later convicted of war crimes and sentenced to death.
• Margarete Volkenrath: Margarete Volkenrath was an SS Obergruppenfuhrer (General) who served at the Auschwitz concentration camp. She was convicted of war crimes in 1947 and sentenced to death.
• Oskar Volkenrath: Oskar Volkenrath was an SS officer who served in concentration camps during the Holocaust. He was convicted of war crimes in 1947 and sentenced to death.
• Ernst Volkenrath: Ernst Volkenrath was a German SS officer who was a commandant in the Auschwitz and Majdanek concentration camps. He was convicted of war crimes and was executed by hanging.

Other surnames

VolkenrodtVolkenroth