Surname Mineur - Meaning and Origin
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Mineur: What does the surname Mineur mean?
The last name Mineur is derived from the Latin name Minor, which itself is a derivative of the Latin word meaning “smaller” or “lesser”. The surname Mineur emerged during the Middle Ages as a surname adopted by people who were considered to have lower social status or lesser importance than others. The name likely became prevalent due to its association with humility, being a servant or having a modest or unassuming position in life.
Today, mines from the name Mineur are found in many countries, most significantly in France, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, and the United States. As a name, Mineur often appears as a family name, reserved for members of the same family line, often tracing their roots to France, Belgium, or the Netherlands. The Mineur family, when considered in a larger context, is believed to have originated from the earlier Norman people who invaded England in 1066.
In modern society, Mineur is an occupational surname, associated with workers who toil the fields or perform other manual labor. The name is also used by professionals and professors, and is considered a symbol of hard work and a strong sense of tradition. While the name may have once been associated with a lower social class, it now represents a deep sense of pride and perseverance, often spoken by same-named family members around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMineur: Where does the name Mineur come from?
The last name Mineur is most commonly found today in the province of Québec in Canada. First record of the surname in the province can be dated back to the early 17th century. Since then, Mineur has gained an extensive following within Canada, with 57% of all current bearers of the Mineur surname being located in Quebec.
The Mineur surname is exceedingly common in urban areas as well as rural throughout the province. In Montreal, it is the 209th most common surname. In other urban centres such as Gatineau, Quebec City, Sherbrooke and Laval, Mineur is also quite common. In rural areas, Mineur is most often found in coastal and northern regions such as Abitibi-Temiscamingue or Côte-Nord.
The Mineur surname is further popularized by its presence in other parts of the world, mainly France, Belgium, Switzerland and the United States. In comparison to its native homeland of Quebec, the Mineur surname is most numerous in the United States within the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan and Wisconsin. Here, the highest concentration of Mineur families are found within the US Great Lakes region.
Variations of the surname Mineur
The surname Mineur is derived from the French word “miner” which means “to dig.” This name is an occupational name for someone who worked in the mines; it is typically used as a patronymic.
The variants and spellings of Mineur include Minier, Minear, Minear, Minear, Minors, Minnier, Minor, Meneur and Minère. The surnames of the same origin include Miner, Mines, Minnette, Maynier, Menier, Meniere, Mission, and Moineau.
The French spelling of this surname has changed over time and therefore the spellings can vary from region to region. For example, some Canadian families adopted the spelling Minors instead of Mineur. The spelling in the United States is typically Minear.
In the United States, many families have Anglicized their surnames to Miner, Minnier or Minear. In the United Kingdom, the surname is often Anglicized to Mines. The surname Mines has been found in several parts of the United Kingdom as a variant spelling of Meneur.
The spelling and variant of Mineur also vary due to the varying regional accents. In the south of France, this name is usually spelled Meneur, while in the northern regions it is spelled Minor. In Belgium, this name is often spelled Minor or Minnier.
Despite the different spellings, all of these names have the same origin and meaning - to dig. As a result, all of these names describe the same occupation. The spelling variations are merely regional variations of the same name.
Famous people with the name Mineur
- Jules Mineur: French ski champion who won several World Cup medals
- Paul Mineur: Belgian political actor and poet
- Louise Mineur: French actress
- Marvelle Mineur: Canadian mixed media artist
- Julien Mineur: French archaeologist
- Beat Hermann Mineur: Swiss art historian
- Johann Baptist Mineur: Belgian Jesuit missionary
- François Mineur: French politician
- Gerhard Mineur: German biologist
- Élisabeth Mineur: French historian and medievalist
- Théophile Mineur: French judge and senator
- Gabriel Mineur: French mathematician
- Ferdinand Mineur: German sculptor
- Chantal Mineur: French abstract painter and sculptor
- John Mineur: British businessman
- Jean Mineur: French lawyer and philatelist
- Adolf Mineur: German puppeteer
- Bertrand Mineur: French multi-instrumentalist
- André Mineur: Dutch actor
- Émile Mineur: French opera singer