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ArchivesPaetkau, origin and meaning...
I am buffled by what could be the source of such strange surname as Paetkau... Anyone knows? (the etymology would be a plus but the origin is even more important to me).
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If any of you are still following this, there is a book (privately published) on this name, traced to one man in the 18th century who had it. YES, it is a German Mennonite name since everyone in the world with this name is related by descent, marriage or adoption. it is most likely a French Huegonot name, because the original spelling was Paethkeau (in French the th is said like a T and the eau like a long o and it is said with a long A and a long O sound so that it rhymes with WAIT Foe-- There are two alternate spellings, Patkau and Petkau, and the latter isn't phonetic
The Paetkaus fled to Ukraine in the 18th century in the Mennonite diaspora to avoid conscription--other Mennonites to Argentina and Pennsylvania. In the 20th century, Paetkaus had to escape the soviets, and most ended up in North America, primarily in Canada, but some went to Argentina. My grandparents fled in 1927, they year they were married.
The Paetkaus fled to Ukraine in the 18th century in the Mennonite diaspora to avoid conscription--other Mennonites to Argentina and Pennsylvania. In the 20th century, Paetkaus had to escape the soviets, and most ended up in North America, primarily in Canada, but some went to Argentina. My grandparents fled in 1927, they year they were married.
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PS--there is no etymology for this name.
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Other German speaking States include Austria and Lichtenstein. Switzerland is three quarters ethnic German. Historically, millions of German speaking people lived throughout eastern Europe and the Volga region in Russia. A person may have a German last name and identify as Czech and the other way around. Actress Franke Potente is a German actress with an Italian last name. This is the result if intermarriage. Swedish actor Max von Sydow has a German last name. Claus von Bülow identified as Danish but looks ethnic German and has a German last name. Sometimes migration or changing borders. Germany lost land and ethnic Germans to Denmark. FYI.
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My first guess is NE Germany, particularly the state of Prussia (Preußen). After WW2 Germany (the state of Prussia) lost a lot of territory to Poland and Russia. People moved around so they could be from anywhere but I would guess the origin is Prussia and it got misspelled when they emigrated from Europe to N America. Happens a lot. Original spelling I can't guess unless I hear how they pronounce it. But many European and other surnames are anglicized in pronunciation. Second guess is the former Austro-Hungarian empire which was disassembled after WW1. My guess overall is it is Germanic. Third guess is Nordic or Scandinavian but really doubt it.
There are generic German surnames like Schmidt, Müller, etc. Then there are distinctly regional like Prussian, Alscatian, Southern German (e.g., Bavarian), etc. Also, physical appearance sometimes varies regionally.
There are generic German surnames like Schmidt, Müller, etc. Then there are distinctly regional like Prussian, Alscatian, Southern German (e.g., Bavarian), etc. Also, physical appearance sometimes varies regionally.
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Paetkau and more commonly Pätkau is a German name as you can see at tinyurl.com/p2hf3hd. I don't know what it means.
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I just read Marc's response. I still believe it is NE German and can be spelled also Pätkow or Paetkow. If not, Austrian and could in either case be spelled Paetkau or Pätkau.
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Paetkau was my Grandfather's Mother's (mY great grandmother) last name. So for me, it is a ethnic Mennonite name. Earliest Mennonites are followers of Menno Siemens teachings and he was from the Friseland area, So the origination most likely was Dutch. Mennonites, tended to marry other Mennonites and so a lot of the last names are repetative but not the same family lines) ) and so because of religious persecutions they migrated into Germany and settled there for a long time, so it could be classified as German....but that's only if they intermarried with local Germans, right? But they really didn't do that whole total integration thing. However, they spoke German, and lived in Germany. Many of these "German" Mennonites migrated again into the Ukraine area from an invite of Catherine the Great. There was a huge community of their "colonies" in the Ukraine . (They settled and thrived there until their livelihood was threatened in the early 1910-1920's due to the revolution from which many Mennonites fled or migrated - Including my Grandparents - but my Great Grandparents stayed behind - to N and S America and pretty much anywhere BUT Russia because of the anarchist Nestor Makhno was waging a ethnic cleansing aimed directly at them in particular with his Black Anarchist Army..... and it was brutal. The ones who couldn't escape Russia, had a horrific existance. A small community remains from those who survived the gulag or Siberian exile) So are they German? Or Ukrainian? I think it's safe to say that Dutch is where it all started and most likely where the name originated from... but as for ethnicity, I would also say the Mennonites are an ethnicity unto their own (being ethno-religious much like the Jewish people are) due to not a whole lot of integrating and a whole lot of Mennonites marrying other Mennonites - so it could be classified as Mennonite as well..
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This is my last name!
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