Surname Doepking - Meaning and Origin
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Doepking: What does the surname Doepking mean?
The last name Doepking is a German name derived from the Dutch word “dockenking”, meaning “king of the dock”. The word dock is an archaic term used to refer to a pier or landing place near a harbor or river. The name Doepking therefore is a reference to the title held by a ruler or commanding authority over a dock or landing.
Historically, the title of “dockenking” was reserved for a person of high status and was likely associated with a nobility of some kind. It’s possible that in some cases the title was assumed by someone who actually owned or managed a dock or port facility. In other cases, it may have been a symbolic title given as recognition for a great accomplishment or as a form of tribute.
The name Doepking appears most frequently in parts of Northern Germany and the Netherlands as well as parts of Eastern Europe. It is generally considered a traditional and quite common surname. While the original meaning of the name is linked to the maritime world, today it is mostly used as a surname with no specific meaning. It is, however, still viewed with a certain level of respect and nobility in many areas.
Order DNA origin analysisDoepking: Where does the name Doepking come from?
The last name Doepking is relatively uncommon today, with less than 2,000 individuals being recorded as bearing this surname according to the United States Census Bureau. There is a concentration of the surname in the Midwest region of the United States, with Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa being the top three states with the highest number of Doepkings living there.
Outside the U.S., the surname is also common in Germany and the Netherlands. Records from the Netherlands Central Bureau of Genealogy show that there are several municipalities in the Netherlands with at least 10 people bearing the last name, most of them in the northern and eastern regions of the country.
Surprisingly, the highest concentration of the Doepking name can be found in the small town of Großenbaek in northern Germany. Records from the local church suggest that the Doepking family settled in the region as early as the 15th century. From this small and isolated community, the family dispersed to other parts of Germany and Europe.
To this day, most of those who bear the last name Doepking are either descended directly from this founding family in Großenbaek or their descendants. As a result, Doepking is alive and well in many parts of the world today.
Variations of the surname Doepking
The Doepking surname is a Dutch surname, often anglicized as Dopking or Du Pree. Other variations include Dopkin, Dupkin, Doopkin, Dupki, Doopke, and Doepke. The patronymic name is derived from the middle Dutch word "doep", which means "deep" or "base". It was a nickname for a person with a deep voice. It was also given to someone who lives next to a deep lake.
The Doepking variants are found throughout the Netherlands, the United States, and other Dutch-speaking countries. In the United States, the surname is especially common in the Great Lakes states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. It is also common in certain cities such as Amsterdam.
A widely used surname in the Netherlands, the Doepking variants are found in Amsterdam and the Fries region. Elsewhere, the surname is also found in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
The variants for Doepking are often used interchangeably, but the distinction between a given variant and the original surname can be made based on geographical origin. For example, the American version of the variation is Dopking, while the Dutch version is Doepkin or Dupkin.
In terms of spelling variations, the surname is sometimes spelled without the “k” at the end, such as “Doepking” or “Doepke”, however this does not always apply. Each variant of the surname may be spelled differently, depending on where it originated.
The surname Doepking can be traced back to the Netherlands, likely as far back as the 12th century. It has spread through the centuries and is still quite common in the US and other Dutch-speaking countries. It is interesting to note that variations of the surname have spread throughout Northern Europe and the Great Lakes region.
Famous people with the name Doepking
- Charles Doepking: An American automotive engineer working at Oshkosh Corporation, who in 2013 was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
- Jared Doepking: An American investor and entrepreneur who founded the venture capital firm, Alternativa Partners.
- Nick Doepking: An American baseball coach, formerly the hitting coach for the Oakland Athletics.
- Ron Doepking: A former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and third baseman.
- Matt Doepking: An American extreme athlete best known for snowboarding, skiing, and BASE jumping.
- Brad Doepking: An American professional golfer known for competing in the Web.com Tour, with his highest Tour finish in 2019 in the Panama Championship.
- Ryan Doepking: An American former professional baseball player, who played in the Boston Red Sox organization from 1999–2001.
- Norman Doepking: An American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams.
- Tiffany Doepking: An American gymnast who competed in the 1993 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
- B. Doepking: An American gospel singer and evangelist, also a former member of the multi-ethnic musical group, The Chicago Mass Choir.