When Christine Schenk was born about 1527, in Langnau im Emmental, Bern, Switzerland, her father, Dederich Schenk, was 41 and her mother, Christine, was 36.
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Switzerland is a loose confederacy of 13 cities and small valley communities dominating the rest of the country. A few families control state affairs. Several rebellions put down by military force: repressed aspects of history in a country so proud of it's tradition of democracy.
Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto, Arno, Erwin, Gerhard, Hans, Lothar, Armin, Florian, Frieda, Fritz, Gottlieb.
German and Dutch: from Middle High German, Middle Dutch schenke ‘cupbearer, wine server’ (from Old High German scenko, from scenken ‘to pour out or serve’), hence an occupational name for a cupbearer or server of wine. It also denotes an innkeeper. In another development, similar to English Butler , the word came to be used as an honorary title for a high court official, and some cases of the surname may have arisen from this use. The surname Schenk of German origin is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine), Hungary, Czechia, and Slovenia (see also 3 below).
Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for an innkeeper, from German Schenke ‘inn, tavern’. At one time only Jews were allowed to sell alcohol in the Russian empire, which is why S(c)henk and its related surnames are very common as Jewish names.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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