Surname Holzmeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Holzmeyer: What does the surname Holzmeyer mean?
The surname Holzmeyer is of German origin derived from the Middle High German expression “holzmair” meaning “wood and mare.” The name can be interpreted to mean “one who tames or works with horses in the woods.” This suggests that the original surname holders were involved in forestry activities and horsemanship in the Middle Ages. The modern German word for “horseman” is “Holzmeister” and can be found in some parts of the country.
The Holzmeyer family first adopted this surname in the 1300s in medieval Germany and spread throughout the country during the next few centuries. The name is quite common in the region of Saxony, in south-central Germany. In the 19th century, many members of the Holzmeyer family left Germany and immigrated to other European countries as well as America and Canada.
The Holzmeyer family has enduring ties to Germany and the unique use of the name reflects the strong connection to forestry activities throughout the centuries. It is a name that stands for hard work, tenacity, and the ability to tame horses in the woods. Today, the Holzmeyer name is still quite widespread throughout Germany abroad, and many people proudly bear the name in Europe, North America, and elsewhere.
Order DNA origin analysisHolzmeyer: Where does the name Holzmeyer come from?
The last name Holzmeyer is a German surname originating in Middle High German. The name is derived from the words “holz” (wood) and “meier” (mayor or steward).
The Holzmeyer surname is still common in some German states, such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, as well as in Austria. Less common is the Czech version of the surname, Holcmeyer.
Today Holzmeyer is also found throughout Europe, the United States, and Australia. The vast majority of Holzmeyers live in the United States, and the last name is particularly common in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio.
The Holzmeyer family is thought to have been among the earliest settlers in the United States, arriving in the mid-1700s. Notable members of the family include Lieutenant General Siegried Holzmeyer, Chief of Staff of the German Army after World War II, and musician Dave Holzmeyer, known as “Evil Dave”.
It is also speculated that the surname Holzmeyer may have been altered to forms such as “Holtzmeyer” and “Holsinger”.
Variations of the surname Holzmeyer
The surname Holzmeyer is of German origin. It is derived from the German word “Holz”, meaning “wood”, and “meyer”, meaning steward, tenant farmer or landowner. Variants on this name include Holzmeir, Holzmaier, Holzmeir, Holzmair, Holzmayer, Holtsmeyer, Holtzmeyer, Holtzmayer, Hultzmeyer and Hultzmayer.
Other spelling variations of Holzmeyer, depending on the origin of the spelling and language, range from Holtsmeyer and Hooltsmeir to Holysmaier and Holzmeie. There are also several surnames derived from Holzmeyer, such as Holzhaber, Holzgrefe, Holzgruber, Holzhauser, Holtzhauer, Hultzheimer, Holzgraf and Holtzhausen.
Holzmeyer is a popular surname in Germany, Austria, and the United States. It is listed on the United States Social Security Administration's list of most-commonly-used surnames, indicating its historical prevalence.
In the United States, the distribution of the surname Holzmeyer is concentrated in the Midwestern states, particularly Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. There are also high concentrations of the surname in the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Certain non-Midwestern states, such as Washington and Oregon, also have notable numbers of people who share the surname.
The Holzmeyer surname has become increasingly common throughout the world in recent decades, but it remains most common in Germany, Austria, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Holzmeyer
- Richard Holzmeyer: German film and television director and screenwriter
- José Holzmeister: Brazilian architect
- Elsa Holzmeyer: notable campesina, and community leader of Guanapuato, Mexico
- Michael Holzmeyer: German grammaticist
- Benjamin Holzmeyer: German footballer
- Celia Holzmeyer: German singer and record producer
- Torsten Holzmeyer: German computer scientist
- Adolf Holzmeyer: German classical scholar
- Rudolph Holzmeyer: German naturalist
- Paul Holzmeyer: German entomologist
- Heinrich Holzmeyer: German sculptor
- Friedrich Holzmeyer: German biblical scholar
- Jean Holzmeyer: German professor of theology
- Jo Holzmeyer: German Olympic rower
- Günter Holzmeyer: German musicologist and music critic