Surname Reinking - Meaning and Origin
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Reinking: What does the surname Reinking mean?
The surname Reinking is of German origin and is derived from the personal name Ragin or Regin, which is derived from the old Germanic names Raingo, Regino, and Raginhart. The given name is composed of the elements "ragin" meaning counsel, advice or decision and "hart" meaning strong or brave. The name can literally be translated to mean “strong/brave counsel”. The name was likely given to an individual in Germany who was esteemed for his wise decisions or who served as a judge, counselor, or advisor.
Reinking has been found in records dating back to the 15th century in Germany. During this time, a prominent family in Alsace were recorded as Reinking, compose of farmer, miller, and ministers. This family from Alsace later moved to Chicago in the middle of the 19th century and by the American Civil War, there were a substantial number of Reinking’s living in the United States. To this day, the Reinking surname is still concentrated around the Chicago and Wisconsin areas.
Reinking means to be strong and wise with his counsel and is still signified by individuals bearing the name today, who are often advisers or counselors in various fields.
Order DNA origin analysisReinking: Where does the name Reinking come from?
The last name Reinking is most commonly found in Germany and the Netherlands today. In Germany, the name is mainly concentrated in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. Reinking is a patronymic name originally derived from a Germanic personal name, Reinke, which was a popular name in the region during the 12th Century.
In the Netherlands the last name is found mainly in the Flevoland region. Here the name was adopted by the descendents of people who had emigrated to the area from nearby Germany in the late 18th Century. The Dutch form of the name has been typically spelled Reenink or Reynken, although other variations can be found.
The name is also found in the US, particularly in the northern Great Plains states, where many emigrants of German and Dutch origin settled in the 19th and 20th Centuries. It is also known to have been adopted as the last name by people of other nationalities.
Overall, the last name Reinking appears to be fairly rare in most parts of the world, with records indicating there to have been only around 750 instances in Germany, as of late last year.
Variations of the surname Reinking
The surname Reinking is an old German name originating from the Middle Ages. It is a variation on the name Rheingans, which itself is derived from the old German word ‘Rhein’, meaning ‘anchester of rivers’, and ‘ganz’, meaning ‘entire’.
Variations on the surname Reinking include Reingans, Rininger, Raininger, Rining, Reiniger, Riningers, Rhininger, Rhinger, Reigner, Ryninger, and Rynger. Spellings could vary depending on the region, and regional accents, such as Rhininger or Rhineger.
Surnames of the same origin can include Ringkamp, Reininck, and Ringenbach.
Other German surnames of similar origin include Rheinhardt, Rincker, Reinard, Reineke, Rinkenberger, Rinehardt, Reinecke, Reinholz, Ringhausen, Reinmann, Rinken, Reinold, Reinholtz, Reints, Reinders, Riners, Reinen, Reinken, Ringen, Reinjam, Reincke, Reynhard, Reinert, Ringwalt, Reinacher, Reinmuth, and Reinart.
These surnames are normally associated with the regions where they have their origin, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Scandinavian countries. Some of these surnames have since spread farther afield throughout Europe and to other parts of the world including North and South America and Australia.
Famous people with the name Reinking
- Ann Reinking: an American actress, dancer, and choreographer
- Tonya Reinking: an American professional golfer
- John Reinking: an American electrical engineer
- Kenneth Reinking: an American author and film director
- Bob Reinking: American former professional basketball player
- Mark Reinking: an American actor and screenwriter
- Laurie Reinking: an American film director, producer, and screenwriter
- Rusty Reinking: an American football player
- Robert Reinking: an American politician
- Anthony Reinking: an American football player