Kirch

Kirch is a German surname, a cognate of the English surname Church. Both derive from words meaning "church"—English from Old English cirice (ultimately from Greek kuriakon, "(house) of the lord") and German from Middle High German kirche, via Old High German kirihha and Proto-West Germanic *kirikā.

Origin and Meaning

The surname Kirch likely originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a church, or occasionally as an occupational name for someone employed at a church. In German-speaking regions, the word Kirch survives as a dialectal variant for "church" in Central Franconian, where it is a feminine noun (Kirch f) with plural Kirche and diminutive Kirchelche.

Related Names

Equivalent surnames in other languages include English Church and Kirk (from Old Norse kirkja). All these names share a common semantic origin referring to a Christian place of worship.

• Meaning: Church (topographic or occupational)
• Origin: German
• Type: Surname
• Usage Regions: Germany, Central Franconia