Runge
A surname with German roots, probably from a nickname or dialect word rather than a single fixed occupation or place-name.
The #6,591 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 60,079 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Runge is generally treated as German, but its exact origin is not fully settled. The historical notes supplied here mainly show it grouped with other German names and variant forms, suggesting a north-German dialect background rather than a clear modern-word meaning. One older French source also connects a word spelled runge with the idea of chewing or rumination, but that evidence is indirect and not enough to make a firm derivation.
History
The name appears in German surname discussions alongside related forms such as Runke, Runnecke, and Rönigk, which points to a family of regional spellings in northern Germany. The excerpted material also shows it used to distinguish families within the same village, implying it was already established as a hereditary surname by the 19th century. In the United States, Runge is present but not especially common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One historical note says two farm families named Runge in the same village were distinguished by local labels meaning roughly “hill-Runge” and “valley-Runge.”
From the historical record
“mann. (So wurden in einem dem Verf. be- kannten Falle zwei bäuerliche Besitzer in demselben Dorfe, die beide Runge hießen, unterschieden als „Bergrunge" und „Grund- runge**). So auch OrundkÖtter; Grund- meyer. Grttth- 8. Gereuth.”
— Die deutschen FamiliennamenNotable people named Runge
- Philipp Otto Runge (1777–1810)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.