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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The surname Handke is a patronymic surname created from the Middle English given name Hank.
The surname Handke was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1191 when Anke of Ankinton held estates in that shire.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Handke research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1290 and 1580 are included under the topic Early Handke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Handke have been found, including Hanks, Hankes, Hanke, Hank, Anke, Ankes, Hancke and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Handke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Handke, or a variant listed above: