Find out how popular the last name Marhenke is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Marhenke.
A Germanic surname derived from a place name or location.
Marhenke, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Marhenke surname is from the 2010 census data.
Marhenke is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Marhenke surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Marhenke.
The surname Marhenke is of German origin, originating in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "marahengist," which translates to "a horse from the marshlands." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who worked with horses in the marshy regions of Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marhenke can be found in the Bavarian town records from the 16th century, where a certain Johannes Marhenke was listed as a resident in 1542. Additionally, the name appears in the church records of Saxony, with an entry for the baptism of Gottfried Marhenke in 1601.
In the 17th century, the Marhenke family seems to have established a presence in the city of Leipzig, as evidenced by the birth record of Hans Marhenke in 1638. This branch of the family may have been involved in the thriving horse trade that was prevalent in the region during that time.
Notable individuals who bore the surname Marhenke include Wilhelm Marhenke (1818-1892), a German composer and music teacher who contributed to the development of choral music in the 19th century. Another notable figure was Katharina Marhenke (1721-1806), a renowned midwife in the town of Erfurt, whose expertise and compassion were widely praised.
During the 18th century, the Marhenke name spread to other parts of Germany, such as Brandenburg and Pomerania. In 1756, a military record mentions a soldier named Johann Marhenke who served in the Prussian army during the Seven Years' War.
Another significant figure was Friedrich Marhenke (1867-1942), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Charlottenburg Palace Theater. His works were influential in shaping the architectural landscape of the city in the early 20th century.
While the name Marhenke may not be as widely known as some other German surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of Germany's rural and urban communities.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Marhenke.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Marhenke was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 96.15% | 100 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Marhenke was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/marhenke-surname-popularity/">Marhenke last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Marhenke last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 6, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/marhenke-surname-popularity/.
"Marhenke last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/marhenke-surname-popularity/. Accessed 6 August, 2025
Marhenke last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/marhenke-surname-popularity/.
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