Show ContentsEngelke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Engelke emerged in the ancient German province of Westphalia, which lies between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. Two of the common types of hereditary surnames found in the Westphalia were patronymic surnames, which were derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which were derived from the mother's given name. The surname Engelke was derived from various Germanic personal names. The name Engelke is a short form of given names such as Engelbert or Engelhard.

Early Origins of the Engelke family

The surname Engelke was first found in Bremen, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Engelke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Engelke research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1669, 1674, 1689, 1694 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Engelke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Engelke Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Engelke include Engel, Engels, Engell, Engeler, Engeli, Aingel, Aingell, Aengel, Aengell, Aingeler, Engele, Aingele, Engler, Engebretson, Engelbrekt, Engelbretson, Engebrecht, Engelbrecht, Engelbrecher, Engelbert and many more.

Early Notables of the Engelke family

Notables of the period with the name Engelke were Hans Ludwig Engel (1630-1674), a Roman Catholic canon lawyer, best known as the author of "ollegium Universi Juris Canonici", Vice Chancellor at the University of Salzburg (1669); and Ludwig Engel (died 1694)...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Engelke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Engelke Ranking

In the United States, the name Engelke is the 18,725th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Engelke migration to the United States +

After 1650, thousands of German settlers came to North America to escape the religious persecution and poverty that wracked Europe and to make the most of the opportunity to own their own land in a new country. They settled across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, and in Canada in Ontario and on the fertile plains of the prairie provinces. Among them:

Engelke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Conrad Engelke, aged 34, who arrived in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Georg Dillus" 2
  • Mr. Conrad Engelke, aged 40, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Georg Dillus", with 3 children
  • Mr. Conrad Engelke, aged 24, who arrived in New Orleans in 1845 aboard the ship "Agnes"
  • I Engelke, aged 24, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 2
  • D Engelke, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Engelke migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Engelke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Engelke, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Boyne" in 1850 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Engelke (post 1700) +

  • Helge Engelke (1961-2023), German guitar player, composer, and producer, known for his work with Fair Warning and Dreamtide
  • Horst Dieter Engelke, West German gold medalist slalom canoeist at the 1965 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
  • Gerrit Engelke (1890-1918), prominent Expressionist poet who was tragically killed as a soldier a few days before the Armistice
  • Justin Marc Engelke (b. 1976), former South African cricketer
  • David Engelke, English businessman, owner of Solid State Logic (SSL)
  • Anke Christina Engelke Fischer (b. 1965), Canadian-born, German comedian, actress and voice-over actress


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque BOYNE 1850, 521 tons. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Boyne.htm


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