Surname Kirschvink - Meaning and Origin
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Kirschvink: What does the surname Kirschvink mean?
The last name Kirschvink is of German origin. It was first found in the former German duchy of Schleswig-Holstein, where the name Kirschvink was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the Middle Ages. The surname Kirschvink was an occupational name for someone who dealt in cherries, such as a market vendor or market garden. The name is derived compound German words, “kirsch”, meaning cherry, and “vink”, meaning vendor. In German records, the name Kirschvink was found in various dialects, being also spelled Kirvensvinck, Kerstvink and Kirchvink.
Throughout the centuries, the Kirschvink surname has spread to many countries around the world, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Members of the Kirschvink family have achieved prominence through their contributions to society, including artists, writers, businesspeople, scientists, academics, and politicians. Today, the name Kirschvink is still relatively common in Germany and other areas influenced by German immigration. Its unique characteristics of origin and immigration history reflect the cultural diversity and evolution of this surname.
Order DNA origin analysisKirschvink: Where does the name Kirschvink come from?
The last name Kirschvink is most commonly found today in the United States and Canada. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 2,636 people bear the last name Kirschvink in the United States. In Canada, there were about 477 occurrences of the name Kirschvink in 2006.
The origin of the last name Kirschvink is German, specifically from southwest Germany. The name is derived from the Middle High German "kirschinke" which means a young, green cherry.
The German surname derived from the German language has since spread worldwide. It is most commonly found today in the US and Canada. Additionally, the last name Kirschvink is popular in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany.
In the United States, the most common states with people bearing the surname are Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. The top five most populated countries with people with the last name are the United States, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Canada.
Many people with the last name Kirschvink are related in some way. For example, in the US, those with the last name Kirschvink tend to be from Pennsylvania and Ohio, while in Canada, they tend to be from Ontario and British Columbia. Additionally, the name Kirschvink is one of the most common German surnames in the US.
Overall, today, the last name Kirschvink is most common in the United States and Canada, and various other countries around the world with German roots and influence.
Variations of the surname Kirschvink
Kirschvink is a Dutch and German toponymic surname, derived from the German ‘Kirsch’, meaning ‘cherry’, and the Dutch ‘vinck’, a location ending meaning ‘a corner, a river bend’. Thus, the name literally translates to ‘cherry river bend’.
The surname Kirschvink is the most common spelling of the name, but there are several variants and alternate spellings depending on the language and regional dialect. The most common variants are Kyrschvink, Kirschvinck, Kirschvinc, and Kirschvincken. These would be pronounced similarly, with a soft ‘sh’ sound.
Kirschvink may also occur as a surname ‘derivation’, occurring when surname variants are further varied by language and regional dialect. Examples of Kirschvink derivations may include: Kuiper, Koenen, Keulen, kuipers, koeck, and Köhler.
Lastly, there are surnames that are unrelated to Kirschvink, but sound similar due to regional accent shapes and pronunciations. Surnames that share a similar pronunciation to ‘Kirschvink’ may include Karchvink, Kernschmink, Kurzschrank, and Kerschnitz.
In short, ‘Kirschvink’ is a toponymic surname with various spelling variants, derivations, and similar-sounding surnames.
Famous people with the name Kirschvink
- Jo Kirschvink: A theoretical geophysicist and astrobiologist best known for his work on the search for life on Mars and the origin of reversals in the Earth's magnetic field.
- George Kirschvink: An American paleomagnetist who is a professor of geobiology in the Division of Geological and Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology.
- Joseph Kirschvink: A French-born American physicist and director of the Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Caltech.
- Stephen Kirschvink: A respected geologist and geochemist, and professor of geobiology at the California Institute of Technology.
- Paul Kirschvink: A researcher in the field of geobiology and an associate professor in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology.
- James Kirschvink: A biophysicist and professor emeritus at the California Institute of Technology, specializing in the study of soft tissues and their behavior in the geological record.