''Junker'' (orand its Dutch cognate Jonkheercognates) was traditionally used as a noble honorific throughout the German-speaking and DutchGermanic-speaking partparts of Europe. The title today survives in its traditional meaning in the Netherlands and Belgium in the Dutch form ''[[Jonkheer]]''.
The term was also used in several countries in the title ''Kammerjunker'', the German and Scandinavian (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) equivalent of the French ''[[valet de chambre]]'', a position usually given to young noble men in the service of a princely rank person at the court. A ''Kammerjunker'' was ranked below a [[Chamberlain (office)|chamberlain]], but above a chamber [[Page (servant)|page]]. Furthermore, theit titlehas hasalso been used in military titlesroles in the German and Scandinavian realm, such as ''[[Fahnenjunker]]'' and its Scandinavian equivalents (for instance: ''[[fanjunkare]]).''
In Denmark, the term ''Junker'' connotes a young lord, originally the son of a medieval duke or count in the Middle Ages, but also a term for a member of the privileged landowner class. Before 1375 the honorific was also suitable for Danish royal sons. It was also used in the title ''Kammerjunker'' within the royal household.
