Surname Thomaschke - Meaning and Origin
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Thomaschke: What does the surname Thomaschke mean?
The last name Thomaschke is a German surname of noble origin. Its literal meaning is “son of Thomas,” where Thomas is a masculine given name derived from an Aramaic word meaning “twin.” The Thomaschke surname likely started in the area of central Europe around modern day Germany, Belgium, and France, and was in use for centuries by noble families in the area.
Thomaschke may have possibly originally been a nickname for a person who was a twin. Alternatively, it may have referred to someone with qualities associated with Thomas such as loyalty and steadfastness; this was a trend among ancient families whose surnames were derived from given names.
In the modern day, descendants of the Thomaschkes can be found anywhere in the world, though primarily around Europe and the United States. People with the Thomaschke surname may have relatives who were immigrants to their country or they may come from families that have been in the same area for many generations.
Regardless, all descendants of Thomaschkes are likely to from a proud, noble heritage. Thomas himself was considered a saint in the fourth century, and members of the Thomaschke family likely have a shared pride in their generations of noble ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisThomaschke: Where does the name Thomaschke come from?
The last name Thomaschke is most commonly found today in East and Central Europe, specifically in Germany and Austria. It is also found in small numbers in countries around the world with significant German immigration such as Canada, the United States, and South America.
The name likely originates from the Old German elements "tom" meaning twin and "schake" which was originally a nickname for a watchman. It was typical for Germans during the middle ages to give someone a name based on their occupation, and many of the original Thomaschke may have been watchman or town guards.
The oldest record of the name Thomaschke in Germany was found in 1374, which makes it quite old—likely dating back to at least the 1100s or 1200s. The family likely migrated east from Germany into Poland, then the Baltic States, and later into Russia. During the early 1900s many members of the Thomaschke family immigrated to other parts of the world, carrying the last name with them.
The Thomaschke surname is quite uncommon today, although there are still a few isolated pockets of the family living in the countries mentioned above.
Variations of the surname Thomaschke
The surname Thomaschke is a German-language surname that derives from the given name Thomas. It is often spelled as Thomschke, Thomischke, and Thomeschke. Additionally, some variants have formed as a result of phonetic changes, such as Thomashche and Thomashke.
The name has also spread beyond German to other regions. In the United States, the most common variants and spellings of the surname Thomaschke has been Thomaschek, Tomshek, Thomashek, and Thomaskey.
In some cases, the suffix "-ske/-sche" has been exchanged with other suffixes. For example, there are variants like Tomshak or Tomashak in the United States. Variants that don't include the suffix "-ske/-sche" appear in German records, such as Thomas and Thoms.
Variant surnames from the same origin can also be found, such as Thomisch, Thomusch, and Thomus. According to a 1910 register of the German Reich, Thomisch and Thomasch are spellings found in the same region.
In some regions, the surname Thomaschke has even been spelled with the English -son suffix, such as Thomsonson, Thomison, or Thomson, which are connected to German émigrés who either settled in English-speaking regions or anglicized their name in order to better assimilate.
Famous people with the name Thomaschke
- David Thomaschke: German footballer
- Monica Thomaschke: German fashion model
- Robert Thomaschke: German actor
- Emil Thomaschke: German footballer
- Linde Thomaschke: German singer
- Dieter Thomaschke: German Olympic sports shooter
- Peter Thomaschke: German photographer
- Beatrix Thomaschke: German lecturer
- Bjoern Thomaschke: German sculptor
- Dietrich Thomaschke: German politician