Surname Birgmair - Meaning and Origin
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Birgmair: What does the surname Birgmair mean?
The last name Birgmair is an occupational name derived from Middle High German words "berg" and "māre" meaning "hill" and "mare" respectively. The name was given to people from a region known as "Der Bergmauer," meaning "The Mountain Wall" in English. This region was known for horse breeding, so the Birgmair name likely referred to a person who specialized in horse breeding or related occupations.
Through the centuries, the name Birgmair has changed. During the 16th century, it was often spelled Bergmayer. In the 17th and 18th centuries, more frequently as Bergmair. Throughout all this time, the spelling variations of this surname have been heavily influenced by the local dialect.
In modern times, the Birgmair surname continues to be found throughout the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and in some European countries. Those who have this family name often see it as a proud symbol of their hard-working ancestors who laid the foundation for their successful, secure future.
Order DNA origin analysisBirgmair: Where does the name Birgmair come from?
The last name Birgmair is most commonly found in areas of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In particular, the census data of Germany indicates there were over 700 people using the Birgmair surname in 2020. The surname can also be found in other smaller amounts elsewhere, including the USA, Canada and other European countries.
Although the name is not a very common name, it is known as a traditional German surname found primarily in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. It is believed to originate from a personal name, which originated from a combination of two Old High German words "berg" meaning "mountain" and "mar" meaning "famous" or "renowned". Thus the complete name means "famous mountain".
Birgmair is currently most mainly found in the regions of Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. In particular, the district of Traunstein, Bavaria is the most common region in which the name is currently known, where towns such as Traunwalchen and Laufen feature two of the highest number of people using the Birgmair surname.
The Birgmair surname continues to remain quite rare in the modern day, with most who used it in the early years having emigrated in search of better opportunities. However, this name most certainly still exists in countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland and can be found in regional places and generations of families who use it.
Variations of the surname Birgmair
The surname Birgmair, also sometimes spelled Bergmair, has several variants with the same origin. One variation is Bergmeyr, which is a more Germanized version of the name. Another variant is Biermaier, which is popular in the Netherlands. A third version is Birgermair, which is prominent in Switzerland. Finally, a fourth version is Bergmeier, which is more commonly found in Germany.
The variants of Birgmair all have the same meaning, which is "mountain farmer." This name was used for those who harvested crops from the mountains, and lived away from the larger cities and towns. It is thought to have been used by mountain people since the Middle Ages.
The surnames related to those who bore the Birgmair name are Biermaier, Berghammer, Bergman, Bergmann, Bergmeier, Bergmeyr, Birgermair, and Birgermeyr. Each of these names has slightly different meanings and origins, but all are derived from the same German source.
Despite the many variations, the core meaning of the surname is the same, and the original meaning of "mountain farmer" remains the same. Therefore, the variants of this name refer to someone whose ancestors farmed the mountains and lived away from the city.
Famous people with the name Birgmair
- Maya Birgmair: German figure skater
- Max Birgmair: Austrian footballer
- Eva Birgmaier: Austrian singer
- Jörg Birgmair: Austrian Paralympic athlete
- Georg Birgmair: New Zealand international footballer
- Jörg Birgmair: Austrian Paralympic team captain
- Andrea Birgmair: German equestrian
- Johannes Birgmair: German politician
- Christoph Birgmair: Austrian ice hockey player
- Tobias Birgmair: German eight-time chess champion