Surname Herbrechtsmeier - Meaning and Origin

Herbrechtsmeier: What does the surname Herbrechtsmeier mean?

The last name Herbrechtsmeier is a German surname that originated from the Northern German area sometime in the late Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German words "Herbst" and "Meier", meaning "autumn" and "mayor". It is likely that the name derived from the occupation of the first bearer of the name being the mayor or leader of a village coinciding with the end of the summer harvest and the start of the winter season.

Throughout the centuries, the variants of this last name evolved and were passed down to the families of those of the same ancestor. The German-American version of the name was altered, and is now Herbrechtsmeir.

The family is linked to the house of Hessen and the old families of Lippe-Detmold, Bentheim-Tecklenburg, and the old family of Holstein-Glückstadt.

Today, people with the last name Herbrechtsmeier are mainly located in the German states of Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden-Wurttemberg. The name, however, can be found spread across the globe in many countries.

The Herbrechtsmeier family is a recognized part of the long-standing German culture and values, and is oftentimes linked to strength and honorability.

Herbrechtsmeier: Where does the name Herbrechtsmeier come from?

The last name Herbrechtsmeier is mostly found in Germany today. While people with this surname can be found throughout the country, they can be found most commonly in the Western and Northern parts, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Schleswig-Holstein. People with this surname may also be found in adjacent countries such as Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

The origin of the name Herbrechtsmeier is German and can be traced to the Middle Ages. The name likely derived from the Germanic ‘Herbrechts/Harbrechts’, which means ‘army rule’. Later, the suffix ‘meier’ was added to describe the practice of one owning a small holding of land or a tenant farmer. Once common throughout German-speaking regions, its frequency in Germany and elsewhere has declined in recent years.

Nevertheless, Herbrechtsmeier is still a common surname in Germany today, especially among those of German ancestry. In fact, a search of the German telephone directory reveals that there are still many references to the surname. It is also possible to find people with this surname in other countries with German speaking populations, such as Switzerland, the United States, and Canada.

Variations of the surname Herbrechtsmeier

The Herbrechtsmeier surname has several modern-day variants including Herbrechtsmeyer, Harbrechtsmeyer, Herbrechtsmayer, Harbrechtsmayer, Harbrechtsmeier, Herprice, Herprich, and Herprichsmeyer. This surname was most likely derived from the regions of the German-speaking region of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and could have originated as a patronymic name meaning ‘son of Herbrecht’ or ‘son of Herprich’, the given name derived from the Middle High German elements ‘heri’ meaning ‘army’ or ‘army strength’ and ‘berht’ meaning ‘bright’ or ‘shining’.

The alternate spellings of this surname could represent regional differences in names; for example, Herbrechtsmeyer and Herbrechtsmayer both appear in the southern regions associated with Austria and Bavaria, whereas Harbrechtsmeyer and Harbrechtsmayer are found more frequently in the northern German regions of Saxony and Lower Saxony rather than the south.

Other versions of the surname could have come from different parts of the German diaspora, although Herprich and Herprice are found more frequently in the United States than in other parts of the world. Herprichsmeyer is a German surname that can be found mainly in the northern parts of Germany.

Overall, there are several variants, spellings, and surnames that can all trace their origins back to the same original Herbrechtsmeier name. These different spellings may point to regional differences, dialectal differences, or even differences in spelling that has come from immigration to other parts of the world.

Famous people with the name Herbrechtsmeier

• Hassan Herbrechtsmeier: German professional footballer
• Erika Herbrechtsmeier: German professional diver
• Barbara Herbrechtsmeier: German yoga and Pilates instructor
• Thomas Herbrechtsmeier: German Olympian race walker
• Jochen Herbrechtsmeier: German Paralympic track and field athlete
• Angelika Herbrechtsmeier: German director, producer, and screenwriter
• Monika Herbrechtsmeier: German fashion designer
• Claudia Herbrechtsmeier: German lawyer and politician
• Robert Herbrechtsmeier: German composer and conductor
• Christoph Herbrechtsmeier: German classical scholar and Critic

Other surnames

Herbrechtsmeyer