Surname Lürken - Meaning and Origin

Lürken: What does the surname Lürken mean?

The last name Lürken is of German origin and derived from the Old German personal name "Lurhicus." This name was commonly used to refer to people who were brave in a fight as “Lurhicus” is derived from the Old German “lurc” meaning “brave.” In medieval times, given names were sometimes modified to create surnames. Therefore, the name Lurhicus became the surname Lürken.

The earliest recorded use of the Lürken surname was in 1327 when Henrich Lürken was mentioned in a court document in Germany. Over the centuries, the Lürken family moved throughout Germany, settling in various regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Westphalia.

In other countries, such as the United States, the Lürken surname has been modified to fit different cultures in which people with the name have settled. In the United States, some people adopted versions of the name such as Lurken, Lurkin, or Larkin.

The Lürken surname is a very distinct one, and those who share the surname have a special connection. They likely come from a long line of brave warriors who have shaped and molded world history.

Lürken: Where does the name Lürken come from?

The last name Lürken is most commonly found in Germany and the Netherlands. Most records place its origin in the northern provinces. It is predominately found in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Saxony in Germany. In the Netherlands it is especially popular in regions such as Gelderland, Utrecht, and Noord-Holland.

Within Germany, the Lürken name is most popular in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne as well of Frankfurt and Hannover in Lower Saxony. Though often found spread throughout German speaking lands, many Lürken’s belong to a modest, but regional, home cluster near the northern terminus of the Rhine River and the Meuse-Rhine Eifel region.

Though difficult to establish how many people still possess the Lürken surname within Germany, evidence from 1997 placed the Lürken’s at a low ranking of 6,800 people. While its reach throughout the Netherlands is greater, research does not appear to have been conclusively conducted on the number of Lürken’s in the country.

Contemporary descendents of the last name are most likely to be found in Germany and the Netherlands, though no known figures exist on its total population today.

Variations of the surname Lürken

The surname Lürken is of German origin and has several variants and spellings. Lürken is typically derived from the place-name Lüerken, which is located in Westphalia and probably originated from the name of the German noble family de l’urc. In many cases, it has been altered to Lurkin, Lurken, and Lurking as well as Lurkyn.

The variants Lurken, Lurking, and Lurkyn are most commonly found in the United States, although the original spelling of Lürken is more well known in Germany. In the UK, the spelling Lurkyn is typically found, though the spelling Lürken retained its original form.

Surnames of similar origins to Lürken may sometimes be found in reference to the noble family de ‘urc. Examples include deurk, deurc, Deurke, Däurke, Dürke and so on, as well as variants like Dürk, Dürking, Dürkin, and Dorke.

Another variant name associated with Lürken is Lurca, which has its origins in the Latin personal name Lurcus. This was also the name of a French line of counts which had its roots in a patrician family from Italy, though the name Lurca is common in Germany, Switzerland, and Brazil.

The surnames ascent from Lürken can also be found in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic where it is sometimes spelled Lurcen, Lürcen or Lurcin. The exact variant and spelling of the name can also vary depending on the region and country.

Famous people with the name Lürken

• Bill Lürken: He is a German actor who is best known for his roles in films such as 'Casablanca', 'The Ladykillers' and 'Our Man in Havanna'.
• Dolores Lürken: She is a former German film actress, best known for her roles in 'Das MädchensolKomplott' (1942) and 'Unter Geiern' (1943).
• Moritz Lürken: He is a German swimmer who competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
• Wilfried Lürken: He is a German football coach and former football player who played over 300 matches for the club Borussia Mönchengladbach.
• Jack Lürken: He is a former British actor who is best known for his roles in films such as 'Ivanhoe' (1961) and 'Morgan the Pirate' (1960).
• Felix Lürken: He is a German painter who is best known for his paintings of abstract landscapes.
• Günther Lürken: He is a German politician who served as a Minister of State in the government of Lower Saxony.
• Heinz Lürken: He is a former German footballer who played for SSV Jahn Regensburg between 1945 and 1955.
• Frank Lürken: He is a German writer and poet who published around 15 books between 1982 and 1996.
• Jürgen Lürken: He is a German politician who served as a member of the Bundestag from 1994 to 2002.

Other surnames

Lürkens