Surname Lembke - Meaning and Origin

Unearthing The Legacy of The Lembke's: A Review of My iGENEA DNA Test Experience

After taking the iGENEA DNA test, a deep dive into the origins and migration patterns of the Lembke family reveals connections to individuals with shared lineage and enriched family stories of survival and resilience. The experience gives the Lembke name an amplified meaning.

Z. Lembke

Lembke: What does the surname Lembke mean?

The last name Lembke is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word “lembec” which means “leather bag”. It is thought to have been given to individuals who worked as a peddler or as a saddler. In some cases, the name may have been a habitational name, derived from a place called Lembke, found in Mecklenburg and Prussia in the 19th century.

The Lembke surname can be found throughout Europe, including Germany, Poland, Netherlands, and Scandinavian countries. Records of the Lembke name first appeared in 13th century Germany, during the period of migration and settlement, when families moved from the Middle East into Bavaria, Saxony, and other areas. Later, families of the Lembke surname moved from the German state of Bavaria to the Saxony and Prussia region.

In the 20th century, the Lembke surname was among the top 100 most common surnames in Germany; however, it is currently not in the top 100 most common surnames in Germany. Today, there is a Lembke Street in the Berlin neighborhood of Kreuzberg, and Lembke Square in the Ottawa District of Köln, Germany.

To summarise, the surname Lembke is a German language name, with Middle High German roots, derived from the word “lembec”, meaning “leather bag”. The Lembke name first appeared in the 13th century Germany, and was among the top 100 most common surnames in Germany in the 20th century; however, today it is not in the top 100. The name has spread throughout Europe; and cities such as Berlin and Köln have streets and squares that contain the Lembke name.

Lembke: Where does the name Lembke come from?

The last name Lembke is generally associated with Germanic ancestry and is found mainly among German-speaking populations. It is most common in Germany, where it is the 876th most common name. It is also popular in the neighboring countries of Denmark and Sweden, where it is the 280th and the 441st most common name respectively. Further afield, it is less common but still exists in countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. According to recent statistics, in the United States Lembke is the 28,210th most common last name. Canada also ranks the name at a similar position, at 28,273rd. In the UK and Australia, it is at number 68,082 and 12,878 respectively. However, the last name is rare in New Zealand, ranking in at only 37,464th place.

Generally, Lembke is a fairly uncommon last name which is more frequent in German-speaking countries. However, despite its rarity it can still be found in many countries around the globe.

Variations of the surname Lembke

The German surname Lembke is derived from the Middle Low German word “Lembke” which means “captain” or “leader”. It is also possible that it is derived from the Old High German word “lembok” which also means “leader”. Today, the name and its variants are found all over the world.

Variants of the surname Lembke include Lampp, Lembken, Lemke, Limbke, Limbken, Lembt, Lembke, Limbeck, and others. In the United States, the surname is often spelled Lemke, while in Germany variants such as Limbke and Lembken are more common.

Surnames of similar origin include Lemkemann, Limberg, Limmken, Lemsen, Libke, Limmer and Limmert. Variants of Limmer include Limbach, Lymbke, Lümmer and Lymbken.

Variants of the surname Lembke can be found all over the world, from the United States to Germany, France to Canada, Mexico to Greece, and even as far east as Russia. No matter where they are found, all of these variations share the same ancestral origins and meanings.

Famous people with the name Lembke

• Karly Lembke: Karly is a popular lifestyle blogger and YouTuber, known for her DIYs and fashion tips.
• Kirk Lembke: Kirk is an American theater, film, and television actor, whose work includes roles on Broadway such as Jamie in Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs and the title role in Richard III.
• Edna Lembke: Edna was a German-born American painter and calligrapher, who lived and painted in Wiesbaden, Germany; she was featured in an exhibition in 1941 at Berlin's National Gallery.
• Karl Lembke: Karl was a German-American rocketry pioneer, who worked with German engineer Werner von Braun at the Peenemünde Army Research Center during World War II.
• Bonnie Lembke-Hogan: Bonnie was a sports reporter for ABC News and Entertainment Tonight and has appeared as a regular on Good Morning America.
• Margaret Lembke: Margaret was the co-founder and director of the Center of Literary Publishing at Colorado State University and editor of the journal American Literary Realism.
• Craig Lembke: Craig is a fashion and retail executive, former CEO of the department store Bergdorf Goodman, and advisor to fashion brands like Paul Stuart, Mr Porter, and Matches.
• John Lembke: John is an American university professor, former president of the Morton Arboretum, and the founder of the international educational non-profit, Project Litefoot.
• William Lembke: William is an American film producer, founded movie and television production company, Moving Parts LLC, and helped to produce films like the Patsy Cline biopic Sweet Dreams.

Other surnames

Lembken