Schenk
A German occupational surname meaning a cupbearer, butler, or tavern keeper.
The #4,637 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,354 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Schenk comes from German words for a cupbearer or one who serves drinks, especially M.H.G. schenke and O.H.G. scenko. In medieval use, the term could also refer to an innkeeper or wine-and-spirit retailer, so the surname began as an occupational name. It is related to court and household service as well as to the trade of selling drink.
History
The name is well attested in German-speaking areas and appears in medieval records as a status or office name, especially among noble and ministerial families holding the title of Schenk. Over time it also spread as an ordinary hereditary surname outside the nobility. English-language sources often gloss it simply as "butler" or "publican," reflecting the broader range of medieval meanings.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In medieval German courts, Schenk could be an actual office as well as a surname, so the title could become hereditary in prominent families.
From the historical record
“SCHENK (Ger.) Wine and Spirit Retailer ; Cupbearer [M.H.Ger. schenke, O.H.Ger. scenko] SCHILLER (Ger.) Squinter [for Ger, schieler, squinting person; f. schel, M.H.Ger. schel(ch, O.H.Ger. scelah, awry, squint- eyed] Many admirers of the German poet, however, prefer to connect his name with Ger. Schiller, '…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)