Surname Lüthke - Meaning and Origin
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Lüthke: What does the surname Lüthke mean?
Lüthke is a German surname of Low German origin. It is derived from the Old Saxon personal name, Lutho, with the addition of the popular early-medieval suffix ‘-ke,’ meaning ‘corresponding to, descendant of.’ The meaning of the personal name is difficult to pinpoint but may simply be a combination of "merciful" and "godly." It could also have originated from the Germanic luthi, meaning "the people's hero."
Surnames that evolved from the Old Saxon personal name Lutho (Luthe, Luthe, Lüthe, Lüthke, etc.) were first recorded in Central Europe in the 10th century and have since spread throughout the German-speaking world. The Lüthke surname was most likely propagated through immigrants travelling to America from Germany. It is unknown precisely when the first Lüthke family immigrated to America, but by the late 1800s, their name was already well-established in the United States.
Today, the Lüthke surname is the 21,629th most popular name out of the 88,799 tracked names in the United States. It is also spread around the world in countries such as Germany, Canada, Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. As for occupation, this family name is most often associated with workers in manufacturing or those operating small farms.
Order DNA origin analysisLüthke: Where does the name Lüthke come from?
The last name Lüthke is most common today in Germany and other parts of Central and Northern Europe. It was found as far back as 1690 in parts of Brandenburg, Germany, and has since spread to other parts of Europe including Denmark, Sweden, and Poland.
In Germany, the name Lüthke is most commonly found in the German states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. According to recent estimates, Lüthke is currently the 714th most common surname in Germany, with an estimated 7,118 individuals carrying it. The name is also prevalent in other parts of Europe, including Denmark, where it is currently the 3,553rd most common, and Sweden, where it is the 5,359th most common surname.
The spelling of the name has changed over time, with the letter "ü" sometimes being replaced with the letter "u" and versions of the name such as Luthke, Lühtke, Luthk, and Luetke occasionally appearing.
In addition to its presence in Europe, the surname Lüthke has also been carried to countries as far away as Canada and the United States in recent years. According to recent estimates, there are currently 1,905 individuals with the last name Lüthke living in the United States, and 340 in Canada.
Variations of the surname Lüthke
The surname Lüthke is a German patronymic surname derived from the given name Lütke which is based on a nickname for Ludwig. It originated in the Middle Ages, mainly in what is now Sachsen-Anhalt in East Germany. Variants of the surname include Lüdecke, Lodke, Luecke, Lüdke, Lutze, Lutke, Lutek, and Luthke.
Spellings of the surname Lüthke have been known to change over time, often taking on different forms in different countries. In England, the spelling became Luthy, which was common in Leicestershire. In Scotland, the spelling become Luthie, and there is a village in East Ayrshire called Luthie. Additionally, other forms of the surname are "Ludtkwe," "Ludthke," "Ludkwe," "Ludkwehs," "Ludkweh," "Laudke," and "Laudkow."
In Prussia, the surname Lüthke was common in Prussian Pomerania, in what is now Germany and Poland. Variants of this name can also be found in the Dutch Low Countries, including Lutjens, Lutgens, and Lutkens.
In Germany, variants included Lüthje, Lüthe, Lüth, Lütje, and Lütske. In the Netherlands, the variant Lutgens is very common. In Denmark, the surname is often spelled Lüth and in Sweden, it is often spelled Luth. It can also be found as Lutka in Finland, and in many parts of Eastern Europe, such as Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Romania, the variant of this surname is Lutz.
As with many German surnames, the name has been anglicized over time, resulting in the names Luttke, Luthke, Lutke, Luthke, Ludke, and Ludtke. It is also sometimes spelled Luther, with derivatives that include Lauter, Lutherke, and Lutker.
Famous people with the name Lüthke
- Max Lüthke: German figure skater
- Justus Lüthke: German actor and director
- Vaclav Lüthke: Czech archaeological theorist
- Martha Lüthke: German actress
- Liz Lüthke: German actress
- Hedwig Lüthke: German mathematician
- Sebastian Lüthke: German author and journalist
- Lawrence Lüthke: American psychiatrist and psychiatrist researcher
- irene Lüthke: German actress
- Georg Lüthke: German actor and director
- Gisela Lüthke: German actress
- Edward Lüthke: German forensic medical academic
- Dieter Lüthke: German actor
- Dittmar Lüthke: German politician
- Dietrich Lüthke: German physicist and theoretical chemist
- Bernhard Lüthke: German painter
- Anke Lüthke: German actress
- Alison Lüthke: American folk musician and singer
- Alfred Lüthke: German poultry expert
- Adolf Lüthke: German Nazi leader