Surname Queke - Meaning and Origin

Queke: What does the surname Queke mean?

The last name Queke is of German origin, and is derived from the patronymic "Quenecke" meaning son of Quene or Quenecke. It was popularized as a surname in the German regions of Brandenburg and Hanover. The Queke surname was derived from the German word "Quene," which means "queen" or "female ruler," and "ecke" meaning corner, edge, or a small piece of land. This likely denotes that the Queke family were landowners orholders of high political status.

The Queke family are believed to be descendents of a medieval dynasty of German aristocrats, which was centered around the Quenstetten Castle, near Halberstadt in the city of Lower Saxony. This family of nobles had branches in a number of areas, including Hanover, Bremen, and Munich. They were commonly known for their military accomplishments, holding political power in the areas they lived and maintaining many of their medieval privileges into the 19th century.

Queke is still an uncommon surname today, and can be found primarily in Germany, although some branches of the family have moved to other countries. The name is also seen, albeit much rarer, in areas of the United States where German immigrants arrived during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Queke: Where does the name Queke come from?

The last name Queke is not particularly common today. According to Ancestry.com, it originated as a German surname, and records indicate it was most commonly found in Pennsylvania in the 1800s, particularly among the Pennsylvania Dutch.

In the present day, the surname Queke is not especially numerous. A few individuals with the surname can be found scattered throughout Germany, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Its presence in the U.S. is particularly concentrated in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Illinois. This suggests that people bearing the surname may have had a specific connection to geography, either cultural or familial, in the past.

According to the U.K.'s Office of National Statistics, the surname Queke is ranked as the 115,347th most popular surname in the country. This provides some indication as to the relative frequency of the name in the contemporary population, though the surname is still not considered to be particularly common.

For the most part, the last name Queke remains a relatively rare name today, though variations of the name, such as Queck, may still be found around the world, particularly in its place of origin, Germany.

Variations of the surname Queke

Queke is an uncommon surname with Germanic roots. Regardless of the spelling or alternate spellings, the surname originates from the name of one of the Germanic tribes called Chatti or Chattuari, and it may have originated as a personal name from this tribe.

Variants of the surname are equally uncommon. Quicke, Queck, Quecke, Quecko, Quicen, Quecen, Quiclen, and Quicken are some common variants. A reverse spelling of Queke is Ekeq, which is also a valid surname.

Surnames commonly associated with the Queke family include: Clew, Clewe, Clews, Klee, Kle, Klick, Klock, and Klocke. These variants typically have roots in the regions of Northern Germany, Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Alternate spellings of Queke are also common and include Quek, Quekeh, Quekile, and Ouquek. These spellings tend to originate from Northern Germany and the Netherlands and are more commonly associated with the Dutch spelling of Queke.

Finally, other relatively common surnames within the Queke family are Queckenstedt, Queck, Quieck, Quelken, Quickenstedt, Quiel, Quielen, and Quiele. These surnames may have originated from France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Famous people with the name Queke

• Bjoern Queke: He is a professional snowboarder from Germany. He is also a four-time snowboard halfpipe World Cup champion.
• Lawrence Queke: He is a Dutch jazz trumpeter who has recorded with many famous musicians, such as Philip Catherine and John Scofield.
• Uwe Queke: He is an award-winning salsa and Latin pop singer from Ecuador. He has released six albums and performed at a variety of festivals across Europe.
• Lotte Queke: She is a German model who has been featured in Elle and Vogue, and has worked with top brands like Dior and Gucci.
• Wolfgang Queke: He is a German classical composer. He has released over 60 albums, including works for solo harp, piano, string quartets, and orchestras.
• Thomas Queke: He is a German track and field athlete who holds the pole vault record in Germany.
• Volker Queke: He is a German filmmaker who won the Berlin Film Festival award for Best Feature Film in 2002.
• Linda Queke: She is an American country music singer. She is signed to the independent label Stoney Creek Records and has released four albums to date.
• Petra Queke: She is a German performance artist and scholar. She has been the subject of numerous exhibitions in galleries around the world and is a professor at the University of Leipzig.

Other surnames

Quek