Surname Meiers - Meaning and Origin
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Meiers: What does the surname Meiers mean?
The surname Meiers is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word "meier" which refers to a mayor, steward, or bailiff. In the feudal system of the Middle Ages, a Meier was a person who was in charge of managing a lord's estate, including renting land to tenants, overseeing farm operations, and administrating justice. It's a status or occupational surname, meaning it was typically given to a person based on their job or social status. Over time, the title was used across lands owned by the church, nobility, and in the cities, eventually becoming a family name. Some sources suggest the name could further be related to the Hebrew name "Meir" which means "one who shines". Today, variations of the last name Meier, including Meiers, are found in many parts of the world, often among those of German descent.
Order DNA origin analysisMeiers: Where does the name Meiers come from?
Today, the last name Meiers can be found all over the world, although it appears to be most common in certain parts of Europe. Germany holds the highest population of people with this surname, particularly in the western regions. There are also high populations in Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
The Netherlands is another hotspot for those with the Meiers last name. It's been suggested that there are thousands of people with the surname living in the country's north-western regions.
Meiers is also present in parts of eastern and central Europe, including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland. The country with the third highest population of Meiers is the United States, with many from Germany immigrating there, particularly in the early twentieth century.
Meiers is also present in areas such as Canada, France, Italy, Australia, Great Britain, and even South America, showing its wide-reaching appeal and significance. It appears that no matter where you live, you won't be too far away from someone with the surname Meiers.
Variations of the surname Meiers
The surname ‘Meiers’ is a German and Low German spelling of the surname ‘Meyer.’ This surname is derived from the Middle High German word ‘meiger,’ which means ‘mayor’ and usually refers to someone who held a privileged position of power within their local community. Variations of this surname include Meijer, Meier, Mayer, Meyers, Maier, Myer, Meijers, Mayers, and Mayr.
The ‘Meiers’ surname is also a ‘patronymic’ surname, meaning that it was derived from the given name of the father, typically by adding a prefix such as ‘Meier’ or ‘Meyer’ onto the beginning of the father’s given name. For example, a son of a ‘Karl’ would typically take on the surname ‘Meier Karl’ or ‘Meyer Karl.’ As ‘Meiers’ was often used as a patronymic surname, it is also common to see surnames such as ‘Meiermann’ (son of Meier) and ‘Meierhofer’ (son of Meiers).
In addition to the German and Low German variations of ‘Meiers,’ there are a variety of other language variations of the surname. For example, the Polish spelling is ‘Majer’, the Dutch spelling is ‘Meyers’, the Danish spelling is ‘Meier’, the Swedish spelling is ‘Meijer’, the Norwegian spelling is ‘Meyer’, and the Yiddish spelling is ‘Mayr.’
In conclusion, the surname ‘Meiers’ is a German and Low German variation of the surname ‘Meyer’ and is often used as a patronymic surname. As such, ‘Meiers’ also has many language variations, such as ‘Majer’ (Polish), ‘Meyers’ (Dutch), ‘Meier’ (Danish), ‘Meijer’ (Swedish), ‘Meyer’ (Norwegian), and ‘Mayr’ (Yiddish).
Famous people with the name Meiers
- Olivia Meiers: Olivia is a social media influencer and YouTube star, best known for her comedic and vlogging videos.
- John Meiers: John is a professional Grand Prix motocross racer, who has won multiple championships in his career.
- Dan Meiers: Dan is a retired professional golfer who achieved a career-best ranking of seventh on the PGA tour money list in 2005.
- John Paul Meiers: John is a former NFL player who went on to serve as an Executive Vice President of the Denver Broncos.
- Richard Meiers: Richard is a former American ice hockey and soccer player of German-Austrian descent, playing various international clubs.
- Hermann Meiers: Hermann is a German author and professor of German Literature at the University of Bonn.
- Arthur Meiers: Arthur was an Austrian-born American conductor and composer who was most active in the early 20th century.
- Larry Meiers: Larry is an American politician, who is the majority leader of the Kansas House of Representatives.
- Kris Meiers: Kris is an American Paralympic swimmer who, at age 41, went on to win a gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
- Michael Meiers: Michael is a professional tennis player from Germany, winning three singles titles in the early 2000s.