Recorded in a number of spellings including Lundbeck, Lundbech, and Lunbech, this interesting and unusual Danish surname, apparently also recorded in North Germany may derive from two possible origins. The first is that it may be of pre 7th century Norse topographical origins, and describe one who lived by a stream which passed through a grove of trees. This is from the elements "lundr", a wood or grove, and "beck", a stream. Secondly the name can again be topographical, but of North German origin, and derive from the word "linde", meaning a lime tree or lime wood, this time with a "bach", although the meaning is the same, of a brook or stream passing through a wood of lime trees. Hereditary surnames were much later in developing in Scandanavia that in other parts of Europe, possibly because of the relatively small populations. Early examples of the name recordings taken from authentic Danish church registers include: Peter Lundbech, who married Christiane Ernestine Fridericha Jorgensen on October 28th 1803, at Gamtofte, Denmark, whilst on August 4th 1850, Villiam, the son of Ole Andreas and Regine Lundbeck, was christened at Budolfi, in Aalborg. Another example is that of Oluf Axel Lunbech, who married Margrete Magdalene Bulow on November 2nd 1875 at VorGrue, Alaborg, Denmark. The first recorded spelling of the family name is possibly that of Hedevig Lundbeck, of Kobenhaven, Denmark. This recording was during the reign of King Chjristian V of denmak, 1746 -1766. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.