Surname Markvard - Meaning and Origin
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Markvard: What does the surname Markvard mean?
The last name Markvard is an old Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse personal name Marcvarðr, composed of the elements marga, which was a term for "boundary" or "shore", and vað, which refers to "guard". This combination gives the meaning of “guardian of the boundary”.
In the northern countries Markvard was likely associated with hallmarking and warranted good artisans. Thusly the surname has mainly been held by artisan families. It has also been assumed that the name can originate from the maharaja of Agra, where a Markvard was reportedly given the authority to enforce certain customs regulations.
Today, the name is most commonly associated with Denmark and Sweden, where it is listed as one of the oldest surviving surnames in both countries. This is largely because of the fact that many Scandinavian surnames are patronymic forms, meaning that they are derived from the father's given name instead of a family name.
The name Markvard is still found in many parts of Scandinavia, but has been declining in usage in its more traditional countries. In the 21st century, the name is primarily found in areas with strong Scandinavian ancestry, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Order DNA origin analysisMarkvard: Where does the name Markvard come from?
The surname Markvard is generally most common in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. It is also present to a lesser extent in other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands and France. The name is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old Germanic first name Marcward meaning "guard of the sea."
When examining present-day distribution of the surname, Denmark features as the main center, where more than a thousand bearers of the name can be found. In Sweden, one may find around 200 people with the surname Markvard, and the same number can be encountered in Norway.
In the United States, the surname is rare. According to the US Census of 2010, the count of people with the surname Markvard was around 16-18. The British Census of 2011 reveals a similar number, around 15 people with the surname. Central and South America show a somewhat higher count, with Mexico featuring the greatest number of 54 people with the surname Markvard.
There is also a small but significant presence of the name Markvard in Australia, predominantly in Melbourne, and in the Middle East, particularly in Israel as well as some of the Arab countries.
Variations of the surname Markvard
The surname Markvard can also be spelled Markward, Markwerd, Markword, Markwerdt or Markwardt and it is possible that other spellings exist as well. It is a rare, lower-case variant of the surname Marckwardt, which is more common, and which has several variants, such as Marckwerd, Marqvart, Marqvord, Marqwerd, Marqwerdt and Marqward, with Marckward being the most common spelling.
The Origin of the surname Markvard possibly dates back to Middle High German and is derived from several names, such as Markevort, Markevart, and the diminutive of Markwardus, a personal name meaning “the guardian of the boundary” or “boundary-keeper”. It could also be derived from the Middle High German phrase “marcward” which translates to “strong guard of the boundary” or “border patrol”. The surname Markvard has been found throughout Germany in the 16th century and is believed to have made the transition from Germany to the United States in the 17th and early 18th centuries, where it can be found in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, among other states.
The surname Markvard is also found as the surnames Marckward, Marckwerd, Markward, Markwerd, Markwerdt and Marckwerdt, and it is possible that other spellings are still out there. Due to common mispronunciations, the surnames Marckvard, Marckvart, Marckvardt, Marckvari, Marckvort, Marckvord, Marckwordt and Marckworst have also been found.
Finding the variants and spellings of the name Markvard is a difficult task due to its rarity, however it is possible to uncover more details of this surname with further research.
Famous people with the name Markvard
- Anouschka Markvard: International supermodel from Denmark.
- Mark Markvard: former Olympic skier from the US.
- Morten Markvard: award-winning Danish author and musician.
- Kenneth Markvard: Danish footballer and former Danish National Team member.
- Janne Markvard: Danish composer, producer, and musician.
- Kristian Markvard: award-winning Danish actor.
- Rasmus Markvard: Danish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
- Trine Markvard: Award-winning Danish filmmaker and art curator.
- Steve Markvard: Danish Olympic rower and lawyer.
- Lilly Markvard: Danish illustrator and comic book artist.