Surname Bürgermeister - Meaning and Origin
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Bürgermeister: What does the surname Bürgermeister mean?
The surname Bürgermeister is a German occupational name derived from the title “Bürgermeister”, which would be mayor in English. The term “Bürgermeister” itself is derived from the German words “Bürger” and “Meister”, where “Bürger” means “citizen” and “Meister” means “master”. Thus, the title Bürgermeister literally translates to “citizen master”.
In Germanic towns and cities, the Bürgermeister was responsible for the day-to-day running of the community. This included making judicial decisions, enforcing taxation, maintaining the town records, hiring town workers and overseeing the maintenance of public buildings and roads. As a result, the office of Bürgermeister was an important and highly trusted role in the community.
The surname Bürgermeister became associated with a person who held the highest local office in the town or village and was often passed down through family generations. It was common practice for people to take on the names of their forefathers’ trade or profession, and so it’s likely that many of the people with this surname had held the title of Bürgermeister before them.
Today, Bürgermeister is an uncommon surname outside of Germanic countries, although it is still present in small numbers in areas where German settlement existed. The surname is still strongly tied to its original meaning, and is likely to remain a symbol of pride for those with German ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisBürgermeister: Where does the name Bürgermeister come from?
The last name Bürgermeister is most commonly found today in Germany and other areas of Germanic-speaking Europe such as Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Scandinavia. It is also found in areas where German has had a strong historical impact, such as North America and other parts of the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and some parts of South Africa.
The name originated as an occupational name derived from the Middle High German word “burcmeister,” which literally translates to “citizen-master.” It was used to refer to a local governmental office-holder, such as a mayor or magistrate.
Today, the name is still used to refer to local government officials in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In fact, it’s still used as a title of honour and respect for other office-holders such as teachers, public servants, police officers, and army officials. The name is also used to respectfully address older adults in some areas.
In other areas where German has had an influence, such as North America, Australia and New Zealand, the name is also commonly used as a surname. The name has become popular with Jewish families in the United States, due in large part to the spelling and pronunciation being similar to the Hebrew name "Buogeimeyster." Nonetheless, the name is used throughout the English-speaking world as a surname and as a title of honour.
Variations of the surname Bürgermeister
The surname Bürgermeister is a German name with the literal meaning of ‘mayor’ or ‘citizen master’. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin of the Bürgermeister surname include Burgermeister, Burmeister, Bergmeister, Burgermaister, Boergermeister, Boorgermeister, Burgemeester, Burgmeier and Bourgmestre.
Burgermeister is the most common variant of this surname. This variant is found most frequently among the Swiss-German population and is usually spelled Burgermeister or Burger Maister. In this spelling, Burger is derived from the German word Buerger, meaning citizen, and Meister meaning master.
Burgemeester is another popular variant of the Bürgermeister surname, used primarily in Holland and with Dutch-speaking genealogists, and it is also spelled as Burgmeier in Germany. The spelling Burgemeester is derived from the Dutch word Burgemeester which means "mayor" or "citizen master."
Burgmaister and Boergermeister, both German spellings, are more rarely found versions of the surname and are derived from the combination of the words Burg, meaning "castle," and Meister, meaning "master."
The spelling Burmeister is a northern German variant of the Bürgermeister surname, derived from the German word Buerger, meaning "citizen," and Meister, meaning "master."
Bourgmestre is a French variant of the Bürgermeister name found chiefly in the regions of Lorraine and Wallonia. This spelling is derived from the French words Bourg, meaning "town," and Maitre, meaning "master."
Overall, the Bürgermeister surname has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin which can be found across various German-speaking regions and countries.
Famous people with the name Bürgermeister
- Manuela Schwesig: German politician who is the 10th Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- Rainer Bürgermeister: Austrian-born American inventor, patent holding holder, entrepreneur, and marketing executive.
- Ludwig Bürgermeister: German art collector and historian.
- Erich Bürgermeister: German politician who was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
- Harry Bürgermeister: German-American architect who specialized in commercial buildings, churches and residential projects during the post war era in Los Angeles.
- Gert Bürgermeister: German actor and theatre director.
- Arthur Bürgermeister: German cyclist who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.
- Michael Bürgermeister: German photographer.
- Mathias Bürgermeister: German politician who was a founder of the German Democratic Party.
- Maria Bürgermeister: German landscape painter.