Radke
A surname of Germanic and Slavic background, often explained as a diminutive or variant form built from a short personal name beginning with Rad-, meaning “counsel” or “glad.”
The #6,777 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 62,047 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Radke is usually treated as a surname formed from a short given name or nickname with the element Rad-, a common Germanic and Slavic name-stem. In Germanic names, Rad- can be linked to the idea of “counsel” or “advice,” while in some Slavic contexts similar forms may reflect a pet form built from a personal name containing Rad-. The ending -ke is a familiar diminutive or surname-forming suffix in parts of northern Germany and neighboring Slavic-speaking regions.
History
The surname is found chiefly in German-speaking and formerly German-influenced areas, and it also appears in regions where German and Slavic naming traditions overlap. In the United States it is most likely to reflect 19th- and 20th-century immigration from Central or Eastern Europe. Spellings and pronunciation could vary locally depending on whether the name was shaped by German, Polish, or other Slavic usage.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The opening element Rad- is one of those old name-parts that shows up in many medieval Germanic personal names, so a single surname can preserve a very old naming tradition.