Places are as far as possible placed in their real geographical place. By several this was not good possible because of the borders (for example
the Berghof(f) area). These places are placed as good as possible in their concerning Diocese or Dutchy! Lippstadt is in fact situated below the
river Lippe, but it belonged to the Diocese Münster. In contrast to The Netherlands, there was in 'ancient Germany' no freedom of religion. This
means that the surname bearers that are found in the mentioned places on the diagramm, had the religion of their concerning Diocese or Dutchy.
A Berkhoff homestead or farmhouse was situated in Ahlen-Dolberg. The local name Gross (Large) Berkhoff is a reminder of it. It can be found
with '
Google Earth'. This name (Gross Berkhoff) is also used by several surnamebearers in Ahlen and in its surroundings. Possibly there is also a
Kleiss or Kleine (Small) Berkhoff nearby. In Flierich was a homestead or farmhouse Berckhoff situated. I found at website Lwl.org of the
Westfaelischen Archivamt in Muenster (
page 15, second row).
This diagramm is made by using Familysearch.org and old maps that can be found on the internet. The places are picked by using a 'carpenters
eye' (in Dutch: timmermansoog). The name Ber(c)kho(o)ven en Bar(c)khoven does (almost) not occur. Cities and villages where two surnames
occurred are made bigger. Otherwise the colours are not visible. Using todays phonebook shows a similar pattern. Except for the names
Berghof(f) and Birkenhof(f) which I don´t know; there are too many hostels with such a name. The names Bir(c)khof(f) and Bir(c)kenhof(f) can
also been found along the river Rhine. The name Bar(c)khof near Bremen (and Brockdorf).
