Surname Röhlicke - Meaning and Origin
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Röhlicke: What does the surname Röhlicke mean?
The last name Röhlicke is a German surname that originated in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "Roh" meaning "raw" or "rough". The suffix "-licke" indicates something small or weak. Together, the name could mean someone who is of small and raw stature. It is also theorized that the name may have referred to a person who lived near a slope or down, or to a person who worked with raw materials.
In modern times, the name is found throughout Germany, the Netherlands, and northern France. A few notable people with the surname include Jean-Jacques Röhlicke, who wrote the book "Enlightened Despotism in Prussia", and Mattias Röhlicke, a German doctor and chemist who studied the pharmaceutical applications of a variety of plants and herbs.
The surname Röhlicke is still fairly rare today and has mostly stayed within German-speaking countries. It may have been derived from an occupation or location, but the exact meaning of the name remains unknown. Though the origin of the name might remain a mystery, its carry-over of generations of families serves as a reminder of heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisRöhlicke: Where does the name Röhlicke come from?
The last name Röhlicke (pronounced ROW-lik-uh) is believed to have originated in Germany over 400 years ago. Today, it is still relatively common in German-speaking regions of Europe.
In Germany, people with the surname Röhlicke are mostly located in the northern part of the country, with notable concentrations in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saxony. This name appears more commonly in larger cities such as Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, and Stuttgart.
Outside Germany, Röhlicke is also found in areas with large German populations, such as Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Poland. However, the surname is less common in these countries.
In the United States, the Röhlicke surname is most prevalent in Pennsylvania and followed by New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. The highest concentration is found in the cities of Philadelphia, Allentown, Pittsburgh, and Lancaster.
The surname Röhlicke also appears in places like Canada, South Africa, and Brazil due to German immigration. Records indicate the surname arrived in Canada around 1829 when a Röhlicke family emigrated from Alsace (currently in France) and settled in Ontario.
Overall, the last name Röhlicke remains common today in many parts of Europe and parts of North and South America, where German immigrants settled many years ago.
Variations of the surname Röhlicke
Röhlicke is a surname of German origin which is believed to come from a nickname meaning 'someone who was red-haired'. Variants of Röhlicke include Rohlicke, Rölichke, Röhlick, Rohlichke, Rohlich, Rohlick, Röhlecke, Röhlke and Roelicke. It is also a habitational name derived from any of several places named with the Old High German element 'hruod', meaning 'bright, brilliant', combined with 'loh', meaning 'a clearing or meadow'. Names of this kind are found mainly in northern Germany and Eastern Europe, where it is spelt Rohlig or Rolig.
Röhlicke is also associated with the surnames Rohlich, Roelik, Roelick and Roelig. Variants of these surnames include Roelick, Roelig, Roelik, Ruling, Rowlink, Roelicki, Roelicke, Roelke, Roell, Rulig, Rulinger and Roling. These variants may have originally appeared in Prussia and Western Poland.
The most common Americanised form of the Röhlicke surname has been spelled Rohlich, and other American spellings include Rolin, Rolinick, Rohlik, Rohly and Rali. This name is also related to Rolig, Roell and Roellick, to which it was variably spelt.
Röhlicke and its variants are found mainly in Germany, the United States, and Eastern Europe, although it has spread to other countries as well, particularly in the form of the Americanised spelling.
Famous people with the name Röhlicke
- Helmut Röhlicke: former German footballer who played in the 1950s–1960s.
- Uwe Röhlicke: East German gymnast who won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
- Heike Röhlicke: professional German archer who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Max Röhlicke: German urban and landscape painter who mainly painted port, town and land views.
- Wilhelm Röhlicke: German philosopher who wrote extensively about the philosophy of Kant and Hegel, and had a special interest in art and culture.
- Gottlieb Röhlicke: 18th century German poet who wrote numerous elegies.
- Andreas Röhlicke: former German basketball player who played for the German national team.
- Nils Röhlicke: professional Swiss-Italian ice hockey player who currently plays for the Italian National Team.
- Helga Röhlicke: German opera singer who has been performing for decades in numerous opera houses around the world.
- Henning Röhlicke: former East German rower who competed in the 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 1964.