Origin of "Hoeck" surname?
My great-great grandfather was named Christopher M. Hoeck and I'm having trouble finding out anything about him, including where his surname originates. Has anyone heard of Hoeck before, or maybe even come across it in your family tree? If so I'd like to hear any stories about the name, whether or not it has its own crest, etc. Thanks!
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Hoeck (now Höck) is German. It's the nickname of a merchant or retailer (Höker). You'll find information on the first bearer of the surname in the US at http://tinyurl.com/3sb9vk4 but it's a common name in Germany as you can see at http://tinyurl.com/3ld7wjb so your ancestor could be another Hoeck who came over.
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The surname may also be Dutch in origin....... since 'hoeck' would be an archaic spelling of what is now 'hoek' in Dutch, which means "corner". As such, the first bearer of the surname may have been someone who was known for living around a certain corner in a village or city.
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