Duke is a surname with English origins, derived from the title “Duke” which was historically given to high-ranking nobles. The name has been recorded as far back as the 13th century, and has since spread throughout the English-speaking world. Notable individuals with the surname Duke include American jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington, and British actor and film director Sir Anthony Hopkins, whose birth name is Philip Anthony Hopkins but he chose to use his mother’s maiden name, “Duke,” as his stage name.
