Kuk Family History
Kuk Surname Meaning
North German: perhaps an occupational name for a pastry cook (compare Kok). Slovenian: probably a topographic name from dialect kuk ‘hip’ by extension ‘hill hillock’ (compare Kok). It may also be a nickname from the homonym kuk ‘insect little worm’. Croatian: probably a topographic name of the same meaning as Slovenian name above from kuk ‘hip’.
Polish: nickname from Old Polish kukać ‘to call to cry out to shout’ or kuk ‘demon evil spirit’. Compare Cook. Korean: there are three Chinese characters for this surname used by three different clans. Two of them are very rare; only the Tamyang Kuk clan will be considered here.
This is said to have originated in Song China. The clan's founding ancestor Kuk Ryang held a government post during the early 12th century in the Koryŏ period. Kuk Ryang's ancestors are said to have come from Song China. Compare Cook 6 and Kook.
Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 鞠 see Ju 7: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 谷 see Gu 8: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 郤 see Xi 9: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 曲 see Qu.
Amerindian (Mexico): Mayan name from a word denoting e.g. ‘squirrel’ (see Kuk) or ‘feather’ by extension also ‘quetzal’.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022