Surname Rohnacker - Meaning and Origin
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Rohnacker: What does the surname Rohnacker mean?
The last name Rohnacker is of German origin and translates to "home field". It likely originated as an occupational name for a farmer who owned or leased a large area of land. The word Rohnacker comes from two German words, roh which means "raw" or "uncultivated" and nacken meaning "field" or "open land". The name may also be derived from a place name, derived from the German word acker,meaning "field", with the prefix Rohmeaning "open, exposed, unenclosed".
Historically, the Rohnacker family has been prominent in areas such as Bavaria, Prussia, and Austria. People with the name have been found throughout history in farming and agricultural lands, and were recorded in parish records, often as wealthy landowners and members of the nobility.
Today, the name is primarily associated with German speaking areas and is still found in Europe, North and South America, Australia, and South Africa. Rohnacker descendants may be found in the United States as early as the 1800s, settling primarily in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and other Midwestern states.
The surname Rohnacker is associated with hard work, diligence and a commitment to quality and excellence, values cultivated on the home field.
Order DNA origin analysisRohnacker: Where does the name Rohnacker come from?
The last name Rohnacker is most commonly associated with Austria and Germany, as these are the regions where it was originally found. Further research reveals that the name is still found in both countries today, though it's more common in Austria. In the 2019 population register of Germany, a search for the name “Rohnacker” revealed that it was present in 9 federal states, with the highest instances in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, and Baden-Wurttemberg. In Austria, the name is most common in the states of Lower Austria, Tyrol, and Salzburg.
Various databases, such as FamilySearch, Ancestry, and MyHeritage, list thousands of historical records, including birth, marriage, and death records for individuals bearing the Rohnacker name. These records provide valuable information, such as date and place of birth and residence, which can help researchers trace the movement of the surname through time.
Given its prevalence in Austria and Germany, it is likely that the name has spread to other countries as well due to both voluntary and forced migration. Subsequent records, such as census and immigration records, confirm that Rohnackers were present in places like the United States, Canada, and Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. With the use of DNA testing, individuals bearing this surname can trace their maternal or paternal lines back to their geographic origins.
Variations of the surname Rohnacker
The surname Rohnacker originated from Germany and can be spelled in a variety of ways such as Rohnacker, Rohunacker, Rohnakker, Rohuunacker, Roehnacker, Roeunacker, Roehnakker, Rohannakker, and many more. Other surnames of German origin that have a similar spelling and can be traced to the same origin are Roenauer, Rohracker, Röhrig, Röhner, and Rohner. This Germanic nickname-type surname derives from the Middle High German word 'rün' meaning run or run for and 'achter' meaning over. This suggests the name was first borne by a runner or one who competed in races.
Throughout the centuries, the various variant spellings of the name have been associated with families who held jobs as coachmen and city runners, as well as being skilled manufacturers and outstanding athletes and soldiers. The earliest recorded mention of the surname is found in the town records of Nordholz, Germany from 1582 and 1599 when a Johannes Rohnacker and a Cunetrag Rohnacker are referred to.
Most of the Rohnacker families still live in Germany, but some of them have since spread to various countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, and Canada. In the United States, the variants Roehnacker and Roenauer can be found, as well as the forms Rohracker, Rohner, and Röhner. In Canada, the spelling Roehnakker is very common.
The Rohnacker surname is a good example of how a name can have a multitude of spellings with various origins and histories. Over time, many alternative forms of the original name may have developed and it is important to keep this in mind when researching the history of a surname.
Famous people with the name Rohnacker
- Dr. Terence Rohnacker, MD is a pediatrician in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Alice Rohnacker, successful Texas entrepreneur
- Maurice Rohnacker, former Swiss ski racer
- Bruce Rohnacker, acoustic guitarist
- Judd Rohnacker, U.S. Navy veteran and former NASA engineer
- Pastor Phil Rohnacker, charismatic church leader in Atlanta
- Mark Rohnacker, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Carsten Rohnacker, German handball player
- Jakob Rohnacker, Austrian Racing driver
- Gerd Rohnacker, German educator & author
- Kirstin Rohnacker, the tenth chancellor of the German Red Cross
- Elisabeth Rohnacker, German violinist & professor
- Gershom Rohnacker, Israeli rabbi & scholar of the Talmud
- Max Rohnacker, celebrated architect & designer of university campuses
- Inga Rohnacker, Danish paralympian powerlifter
- Magdalene Rohnacker, Bavarian writer & poet
- Les Rohnacker, celebrated US military veteran & minister
- Hubert Rohnacker, German Reformed theologian & professor
- Dietmar Rohnacker, German Air Force pilot & veterinary scientist
- Lutz Rohnacker, former defense attorney in Hamburg, Germany