Jochen

This Polish-Prussian surname is one of the many patronymic developments of the ancient Hebrew given name "Yoyakim". This translates as "God has granted (a son)", the name first being recorded in the Bible (Neh. 12:10). It is also the name, according to legend, borne by the father of the Virgin Mary. What is certain is that from the time of the 11th Century Crusades, "Joachim" achieved great popularity throughout Europe, and there are an estimated seventy spelling forms of the surname, although curiously the name was never fashionable in England. Variant forms include Jochen, Jachym and Akim, and their patronymics, Jochens, Jachim(cz)ak and Akim(a)kin, the latter being Russian. Examples of the name recordings include: Jeudris Jachimizik, a christening witness with his wife, Susanna, at Marggrabowa Evangelist Church, East Prussia, on September 5th 1709, whilst on October 15th 1854, at Krotoschin Stadt Evangelist Church, Posen, Jacob Jachimiak married Caroline Hoffman. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jacob Jachimcik, which was dated January 1st 1707, a witness at Treuburg, East Prussia, during the reign of Joseph 1, known as "The Holy Roman (German) Emperor", 1705 - Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.1711.