Message: "My last name is weird"

[Facts] My last name is weird

by Brendan Kapitzke (guest)

9/8/2002, 6:07 AM

I have looked everywhere and i cant find what my last name " Kapitzke " means and where it came from....if anyone can find it please e-mail me ,,,

#surnames

Replies

- Satu (guest) +3

9/8/2002, 2:58 PM

Hi Brendan,

I would guess it has got something to do with Polish "kapica" which means hood, cowl.
Satu

- Daividh (guest) +2

9/8/2002, 5:35 PM

Satu,

You probably know a lot more about this stuff than I, but isn't the
"-ke" ending to a surname characteristic of East Prussia or Pomerania? That would sure be consistent with the Polish root word.

- Da.

- Satu (guest) +1

9/9/2002, 2:38 AM

Hi Daividh,

you are right, the –ke suffix comes from Slavic names with endings like –ka, -ek, -ak etc. when they were Germanized. That happened, of course, mostly in the eastern parts of Germany like East Prussia or Pomerania.

In the northwest of Germany the –ke suffix is a Low German and Frisian form of German –chen which is a diminutive ending.

Satu

- Da. (guest)

9/9/2002, 6:44 PM

Thanks!

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