Ecker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The name Ecker evolved in ancient Germany in the state of Bavaria. It is a patronymic name. Patronymics are derived from the given name of the father of the bearer. Names derived from the name of the mother of the bearer, which are less common, are called metronymic names. Patronymic names were generally formed from traditional, German given names, rather than the names of saints or biblical figures, as is the custom in many other European cultures. Ecker comes from the Germanic personal name Eckhart. The name Ecker is a short form of this Germanic personal name, which is derived from the Old German word "ecka," which means "corner" or "edge." Thus, the original bearer of this name resided at the edge of a settlement or on the corner of a street.

Early Origins of the Ecker family

The surname Ecker was first found in Bavaria, where the family became noted for its many branches within the region, many houses acquiring a status and influence which rivaled that of the landed aristocracy. In their later history some branches were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they distinguished themselves through their contributions to the social, political, and economic developments of the nation.

Early History of the Ecker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ecker research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1103, 1108, 1486, 1543, 1760, 1766, 1774, 1778, 1792, 1801 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Ecker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ecker Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Ecker include Eck, Ecker, Ecke, Ekker, Eker, Ekert, Ekke, Eckher, Eckherr, Echer, Eckermann and many more.

Early Notables of the Ecker family

Prominent among members of the name Ecker in this period include

Johann Maier Eck (1486-1543), who was a powerful opponent of Martin Luther and the Reformation; Johann Peter Eckermann (1792-1854) was an author in his own right, but was most famous for his friendshi...

Ecker Ranking

In the United States, the name Ecker is the 8,304^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Ecker migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ecker or a variant listed above:

Ecker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Adam Ecker, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
Christopher Ecker, age 42, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1741
Peter Ecker, age 40, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1741
Christian Ecker, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 2
Peter Ecker, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ecker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Ecker, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 2
William Ecker, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 2
Christopher Ecker, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 2
Leopold Ecker, who landed in Arkansas in 1890 2
Charles Ecker, who landed in Arkansas in 1892 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ecker (post 1700) +

Guy Ecker (b. 1959), American actor
Captain (USN) William Ecker (1924-2009), American member of the U.S. Navy (1942-1974), awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 3
William Ecker, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Orange County, 1827 4
Leonard Ecker, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 34th District, 1966 4
Frank A. Ecker, American politician, Mayor of Rockville, Maryland, 1962-68 4
Charles I. Ecker, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of Maryland, 1998 4
Danny Ecker (b. 1977), German athlete, winner of a bronze medal at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships
Janet Ecker (b. 1953), Canadian politician in Ontario
Johnny Ecker (b. 1973), French footballer

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
William Ecker. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) William Ecker. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ecker
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html