Skarke is a rare surname primarily found in the German and Czech-speaking regions.[1] Most individuals with this surname can trace their ancestry back to the region of Northeastern Moravia in the Early Modern Period.
Variants
The name exists in multiple spellings, which can be attributed to linguistic developments, particularly the adaptation of the "Sh" sound to an "S" sound. Known variants include: Škarke, Schkarke, Skarka, Škarka, Škárka, and Schkarka.[1]
Origin
The exact origin of the surname is unclear. One hypothesis suggests that it derives from the former Swedish village of Skarke, which is now part of the municipality of Varnhem (Västergötland, Sweden). The village name is believed to originate from the Old Norse term Skade rike, referring to the Norse goddess Skadi.[2][3] The surname could therefore be due to the fact that the bearers of the name came from this community or that they named themselves as followers of Skadi.
Distribution and Migration
During the Early Modern Period, nearly all bearers of the name resided in the Nový Jičín (Neutitschein) region of Moravia, particularly in the villages of Seitendorf and Blauendorf.[4][5][6] In the 19th century, some individuals with the surname emigrated to North America, contributing to its modern presence in the USA.[7]
After World War II, many German-speaking Moravians were forcibly resettled to Germany as part of the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans, which the bearers of the Name mostly were. Most of them settled in Southern Germany, particularly in the Stuttgart area and the Rhine-Neckar region.[8]
Notable Bearers
- Hermann Skarke (1931–2019), German chess player
- Petr Skarke (1943–1999), Czech actor
- Tim Skarke (* 1996), German footballer
- Daniel Škarka (* 2006), Czech ski jumper
- Jaroslav Škárka (* 1970), Czech politician
References
- ^ a b "Spread of the name Skarke". forebears. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "C. Inom Skarke by gamla gräns | Varnhems Historia". www.varnhemshistoria.se. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ Lundahl, Ivar (1958). Ortnamnen i Skaraborgs län 12. Territoriella namn i Valle härad [Place names in Skaraborg County 12. Territorial names in Valle härad] (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Institutet för språk och folkminnen. p. 48.
- ^ "Söhle (Heimatbuch), Bezirk Neu Titschein, Tschechien". denkmalprojekt.org. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ Hanika, Michael (2018). Verzeichnis der Ahnenlisten im Sudetendeutschen Genealogischen Archiv 4000-6999 [Index of ancestor lists in the Sudeten German Genealogical Archive 4000-6999] (PDF) (in German) (published 2018-03-25). p. 42.
- ^ Lahrers, Walter; Exler, Friedl. Blauendorf (Bludovice) (PDF) (in German).
- ^ "FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Diffusion des Nachnamen SKARKE". Karte zum Namen (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-02.