Benke Coat of Arms and Surname Origin

Anyone researching Benke should also look under Behnke. Its meaning, shared with Behnke, is “A Low German pet form of Bernhard”.

• Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.
• Benke drops the “h” of Behnke, a simplification that clerks often made.
• Similar-sounding surnames on Herald Lab: Banke.
• According to the 2010 US Census, the Benke surname had 1,060 bearers.
• Related forms: Benkei, Behneke and Behnken.

Family crest and blazon

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Behnke surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the Benke family name pack.