Surname Kappelmeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Kappelmeyer: What does the surname Kappelmeyer mean?
The last name Kappelmeyer is an occupational surname for someone in the role of a scribe. This referred to those employed by kings and nobles to document events in their kingdom such as births, deaths, and marriage ceremonies. Over time, these scribes were also employed to document business deals and help keep track of taxes and other finances. Kappelmeyer is of German origin and the name ‘Kappel’ refers to either a chapel or an elevated room where such documents were stored. A ‘meyer’ is a person associated with the land and so Kappelmeyer would likely describe a person responsible for a chapel or vault building in a landowning capacity.
Kappelmeyer is a surname found in families of varying backgrounds across Europe, likely referring to the profession of scribal work. In German, the ‘K’ is usually pronounced as a hard ‘K’. Therefore, the surname Kappelmeyer could be pronounced either as KAPP-ell-MAY-yer, KAPP-el-mey-er, or KAPP-al-mey-er. Despite the changing use of the role over time, the name Kappelmeyer is a reminder of its original meaning and retains its meaning and context today.
Order DNA origin analysisKappelmeyer: Where does the name Kappelmeyer come from?
The surname Kappelmeyer is most commonly found in the German-speaking regions of Europe, such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The Kappelmeyer surname is concentrated mainly in the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in Germany. The name was originally associated with the North German state of Mainz and was found there as early as 1720.
Kappelmeyer is also fairly common in the United States. Immigrants arriving in the 19th century with the surname Kappelmeyer settled primarily in Midwestern states such as Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa, and the population of those with the surname in the US has grown significantly since then. It is also present in relatively large numbers in Canada, especially in Ontario and other provinces.
The surname has also spread to other regions, such as Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the Caribbean. Interestingly, Kappelmeyer is not found very frequently in the United Kingdom, indicating that there was not much migration from Germany to the UK compared to other areas.
The Kappelmeyer surname is a testament to its preservation over the centuries and migration throughout the world. It has a strong connection to its origins in Germany, and it retains a presence in many countries today.
Variations of the surname Kappelmeyer
The surname Kappelmeyer is of German and Dutch origin, and is derived from the Middle High German words 'capelle' or ‘kapelle’ which refer to a chapel or a place of prayer. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Kappelmaier, Kappelmeier, Kappelmayr, Kappelmeir, Kappelmeyer, Kappelmayer and Kappelman.
In German, the spelling of surnames often varied according to the region where they were most frequently used and settlement patterns of various Biblical and patronymic names. For example, in some cases, the Germanic 'meier' was took on the spelling of 'meir', and in some cases the spelling shifted to 'mayr'.
In Dutch, the spelling changed slightly for the term 'maier', as it is known as 'mayer', meanwhile the spelling 'maier' is the same as in German.
In addition, another variant of 'Kappelmeyer' is 'Koppelmeyer', which originates from the Dutch language and refers to a 'keeper of horses', verifier, or weigher of horses.
In both German and Dutch, the rarity of the 'Kappelmaier' or 'Kappelmeir' spelling evolved into the different modern spellings of Kappelmeyer, Kappelmayer and Kappelman.
The surname Kappelmeyer is usually found in the German-speaking region of Switzerland and present day Germany. It is also relatively common in the Netherlands.
Some of the other locations where the surname Kappelmeyer can be found are the Jewish communities in the United States, where many immigrants to the country bore the surname. Across Europe, the surname is found in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom.
Famous people with the name Kappelmeyer
- Georg Kappelmeyer (1930–2005), German Historian
- Maria Kappelmeyer (born 1993), German XTerra Triathlete
- Tom Kappelmeyer (born 1984), German Footballer
- Erich Kappelmeyer (1879–1950), German Physicist
- Hans Kappelmeyer (1890–1969), German Sculptor
- Johann Kappelmeyer (1748–1813), German Architect
- Diedrich Kappelmeyer (1848–1907), German Painter
- Mathilde Kappelmeyer (1878–1964), German Painter
- Gottfried Kappelmeyer (1874–1947), German Politician
- Joseph Kappelmeyer (1849–1912), German Lawyer