Surname Mehlers - Meaning and Origin
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Mehlers: What does the surname Mehlers mean?
The last name Mehlers is of German origin and is derived from the German word ‘mahl’, which means miller. It is a name of occupational origin, indicating a family of millers in the Middle Ages. The surname was likely used to describe a person who owned or operated a mill or was employed as a miller, grinding grain into flour.
In the late 18th century, the common practice of adoption of surnames from one’s occupation went into decline, and modern-day descendants of those named Mehlers may not even be aware of the name’s miller ancestry. The name is still quite common throughout Germany, as well as parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The meaning of the name can vary slightly depending on the geographical or family context, such as “mahler” being an alternate spelling that is also derived from the original “mahl” root. It can also be derived from “mehl”, meaning flour, and “mehler”, meaning one who works or trades in flour.
The spelling and meaning of the name have been preserved over generations, and modern-day Mehlers bear their ancestor’s miller past proudly as an important part of their surname’s origin story.
Order DNA origin analysisMehlers: Where does the name Mehlers come from?
The last name Mehlers is most commonly associated with Germany today, although it is found in other countries around the world, including the United States.
In Germany, the last name appears most often in northern parts of the country, particularly in the cities of Berlin, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Frankfurt (Oder), and Magdeburg. The first written record of the last name dates back to the 16th century.
In the United States, the last name Mehlers is concentrated primarily in the states of California, New York, and New Jersey. It also appears in various other states including Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and Massachusetts, as well as in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The last name Mehlers is also found in smaller numbers in other countries around the world, including Australia, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The most likely origin of the last name comes from the German word 'Mehler', which is a term for a miller or a person who grinds grain into flour. It is thought that the last name began as an occupational name for a miller before becoming a surname, which explains why it is most often connected to Germany.
Variations of the surname Mehlers
The surname Mehlers has several variants, spellings, and surnames with the same origin. These include:
Mehler, Mehlhausen, Mehlhause, Mealhouse, Mehlhouse, Mehlhuber, Mehlhoff, Mehlhorst, Mehlhosen, Muehlen, Maihlhausen, Mauhlhausen, Mohlhausen, Mellon, Mahlhauser, Mallow, Mileholt, Mahl, Muehler, Muhle, and Muehlhausen.
The surname Mehlers is of German origin, and it started out as the occupation-based surname indicating someone who lived and/or worked in a mill. It can be found in records dating back to the Middle Ages and is one of the many old German surnames that are derived from the words “muhle” or “mahle”, both of which mean mill.
This surname is spread over Germany, with the highest concentration in the states of Thuringia, Bavaria, and Saxony. It can also be found in places such as Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and even the United States.
Because of its origins in a particular profession, this surname often changed depending on the context. For instance, in areas where the word “muhle” meant mill more than it would elsewhere, docs may have listed someone with the surname “Muehlen” instead of “Mehlers”. The same holds true for other variations of the surname. All in all, the evolution of the surname “Mehlers” is complex and due to regional differences in its original form, many families may have merged two or more variations together over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Mehlers
- Paul Mehlert (1814-1880): Paul Mehlert was a German sculptor best known for his architectural sculptures. He studied painting in Dresden and Vienna before settling in Berlin in 1860. He created works for some of the major architectural projects throughout Germany. Mehlert was active in the Prussian Academy of Arts throughout his career and is celebrated in German art history.
- Alex Mehlert (1882-1959): Alex Mehlert was a German inventor who invented a movement counter for large industrial machines in 1932. His invention revolutionized production lines by making them more efficient, more accurate, and faster. Mehlert's invention was used in a wide variety of manufacturing processes and his impact can still be felt in industry today.
- Steve Mehlert (b. 1960): Steve Mehlert is an American political scientist and college professor. He is the Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Cybersecurity and Communications and has since returned to college teaching. Mehlert has authored several books on cyber security, foreign policy and homeland security.
- Kim Mehlert (b. 1953): Kim Mehlert is an American singer-songwriter and actress. As a singer, she released five albums of original material between 1982 and 1994, and has since released several compilations of her work. As an actress, she has had several small roles in movies and television.