Surname Rockenfeld - Meaning and Origin
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Rockenfeld: What does the surname Rockenfeld mean?
The German surname Rockenfeld is an occupational name deriving from the Middle High German word "rocken" which means "peat" (a type of soil). The occupation this surname referred to in the Middle Ages was people engaged in cutting, drying and selling peat or other types of fuel.
The name has evolved over time, appearing in records from the 14th century in various forms such as "Rocken-Velt" and "Rocking-velt". It is a local surname, originally found in regions such as Hesse, Prussia, and Bavaria. As these particular regions began to move from Bishoprics to larger countries, people with the surname Rockenfeld began to spread out beyond Germany, to the nearby countries of Holland, Norway, Holland and Russia.
The name Rockenfeld may still be found in these places today. Those bearing the surname are believed to be descendants of those original cutters of peat or fuel in the late Middle Ages. While some afflicted by the surname may still engage in "fuelling" as an occupation, the name now simply serves as an interesting reminder of these individuals' ancestral occupation.
Order DNA origin analysisRockenfeld: Where does the name Rockenfeld come from?
The last name Rockenfeld is most commonly found in the United States and parts of Germany. The name is of German origin, meaning "rocky field". In the United States, Rockenfeld is largely concentrated in the northeastern states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. In these areas, it is relatively rare, but families with this last name are well represented in major cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.
In Germany, the Rockenfeld surname is much more abundant. It is most prevalent in Bavaria, in the southeast of the country, but is also common throughout Bavaria's neighboring states. Historically, it was used as either a hereditary surname or a sign of belonging to a certain clan or family.
Rockenfeld is an uncommonly used name, but its frequency in specific parts of the world suggests that there is still a robust community of people using the surname. Given its history, it is likely to remain a part of both German and American culture for a long time to come.
Variations of the surname Rockenfeld
The surname Rockenfeld is a German occupational name originating from occupational roots. It is a variant of Rockenfeller, which describes someone who lived and worked in a rocky area or hill of some kind. The surname’s origin is from Middle High German “rocke”, meaning “a rocky region”, and “feld”, meaning “field”. Rockenfeld is also spelled as Rockenfel, Rockenfels, Rochfeld, Roeckefeld, Rockenfield, Rokenfeld and Rokenfel.
The variations in spelling of the surname suggest the name is of an old origin, and that it has been around for centuries, with its form changed over time and influenced by local dialects and phonetics. With the use of more standardized spellings, the spelling of the surname has seen some changes over the years.
The surname is still used across Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria, however it is not very common. Variants of the surname include Ruckenfeld, Rukenfeld, Rickenfeld, Reckenfeld, Rockenfellers and Rickenfellers. Ruckenfeld is another variant of the surname, which is slightly more widespread in Germany today than the others.
Alternative spellings of Rockenfeld such as Rocksfeld, Ripsfeld, Rocksfelt, Rocksfilts, Rocksfills, Ripfenfeld and Ripfeld can also be found. These variations may belong to individuals who have changed the surname due to difficult pronounciations, immigration reasons or hyphenated surnames.
Famous people with the name Rockenfeld
- Bill Rockenfeld: an American television producer, most notably for the show House Hunters;
- Abbey Rockenfeld: an American professional surfer;
- Professor Dr. Carsten Rockenfeld: an established German sports surgeon;
- Dr. Steven Rockenfeld: an award-winning American plastic surgeon;
- Jim Rockenfeld: an American behavioral scientist;
- Brother John Rockenfeld: an ordained Catholic priest;
- Rose Rockenfeld: an Australian illustrator;
- John Rockenfeld: an American politician;
- Mike Rockenfeld: an American computer programmer;
- Kelly Rockenfeld: an American travel specialist.