Surname Lucken - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Lucken: What does the surname Lucken mean?
Lucken is an Anglo-Saxon last name of Old English origin. It is derived from the Middle English personal name Lucan, which itself derived from the Old English name Leofecan. The Old English name is composed of the elements leof (dear, beloved), and ecg (edge, sharp point).
The name is found mainly in England and Scotland, but not in Ireland. It is an uncommon last name, but can be found in few towns or villages throughout England and Scotland.
The Lucken surname is thought to have first been associated with the areas of Essex and Hertfordshire, in eastern England. It likely arose when families bearing the Lucan personal name began to be referred to by the place name, Lucken.
The surname Lucken first appears in records from the fifteenth century. In 1421 William Lucan and Johannes Lucan were noted in the Subsidy Rolls of Essex.
Today the surname Lucken is not extremely common, but is still present in England, Scotland and elsewhere. Given the meaning of the surname, those who bear the private name are thought to be noble-minded, devoted and sharp.
Order DNA origin analysisLucken: Where does the name Lucken come from?
The last name Lucken is most commonly associated with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Records of the name have been found as far back as the early 1500s and the name is still present in the region today. It is believed to originate from the Old German word "licken" meaning to "bow." The last name is especially prominent around the Emsland region in Lower Saxony.
Besides the Emsland, Lucken is also found in small numbers throughout Germany and other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The name is also found in other countries across Northern Europe, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
As well as bearing the name in their homeland, many Germans have taken the Lucken name abroad to cities such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna. Amongst the German-speaking diaspora all around the globe, the last name is found also in the United States, South Africa, Canada, and Argentina.
The last name is still relatively common in its homeland, where it is mainly found in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.
Variations of the surname Lucken
The surname Lucken is thought to have derived from the Old German word “licken,” meaning to file or smooth something down. As the language changed over time, it appears that several different spellings and variants of the surname have emerged.
The most common variants of Lucken are Luken, Lukin, Liken, Likens and Lukens. Spelling variations of the surname include, but are not limited to: Lukenbach, Lueken, Lukens, Lukenson, Luchen, Luekenbach, Luckenbach, Lucke and Luckenbacher among others.
Surnames which are believed to have derived from the Lucken surname include Liecken, Lichen, Licken, Lickenbucher, Licking, Lichenstein, Lickerman, Lickenkamp, Lickliter, Lickteig and Leeck among others.
In addition to spelling variations, this surname has also been known to be completely Americanized and changed to resemble English surnames such as Looken, Lucking, Luckens, Lukins and Luecken.
The origin of this surname is still unclear; however, it is believed to have originated in the Bavarian region of Germany, during the Middle Ages, when the language was predominantly German and people had much less mobility than they do today.
Famous people with the name Lucken
- Jacob Lucken, professional cyclist who participated in the 2020 Deutschland Tour
- Erika Lucken, former competitive figure skater who represented Germany at the1992 Winter Olympics
- Johann Nepomuk Lucken, Austrian surgeon
- Günter Lucken, German physicist
- Kurt Lucken, Austrian sculptor
- Clara Louise Lucken, American poet
- Ethel Lucken, German dancer and actress
- Bill Lucken, former American football coach
- Egbert Lucken, German author
- Linda Lucken, American sportswriter and broadcaster.