Surname Mittelmayer - Meaning and Origin
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Mittelmayer: What does the surname Mittelmayer mean?
The surname Mittelmayer is a German surname originating from the Middle Ages. The root of the name, 'mittel', comes from Middle High German and translates to “the middle” or “in the middle.” It is likely that the name originally referred to a person living in the middle of a town or settlement or in the center of an area geographically.
Mittelmayer can also be broken down further. 'Mittel' is a Middle High German word meaning "middle." 'Mayor' is a Latin word meaning "major" or "greater," meaning a leader or ruler. The combination of the two implied someone who was a leader of their area or settlement or someone who was a prominent person in their center of the community.
The name Mittelmayer is often found in records from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, indicating it was in use in Germany since at least that time. Today, the surname still exists and is widely spread in countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States.
Overall, the surname Mittelmayer is typical of many German surnames of the Middle Ages, referring to a place, person, or other feature of that area. It is an interesting reminder of the past, conveying the importance of being in the middle, literally and figuratively, during that time.
Order DNA origin analysisMittelmayer: Where does the name Mittelmayer come from?
The last name Mittelmayer is primarily associated with German-speaking areas, particularly Germany, Austria, Switzerland, as well as parts of Northern Italy. Historical records have shown that some members of the family have moved throughout Europe over the centuries, thus other areas of Central and Eastern Europe may also have Mittelmayer populations.
In terms of population today, Mittelmayer is very rare but its prevalence is still higher than many other unique surnames. According to a recent survey, it is most common in Germany, ranking at about 9,190th among the top 100,000 German surnames. Austria and Switzerland also had a significant number of Mittelmayer's, although only about 250-550 each were reported in each country recently.
Mittelmayer is also found across the United States, with families who may have immigrated with the name in generations past or used the name as a way to distinguish themselves from other German immigrants. In terms of numbers, it’s rank on the United States Census was 16,867th among the most frequently occurring surnames.
Overall, the last name Mittelmayer is very rare, even more so when compared to other German family names, yet it is still found throughout Central and Eastern Europe, along with some pockets in the United States.
Variations of the surname Mittelmayer
Mittelmayer is a German surname of Jewish origin that can be found in several different spellings and variants. Common variants of the name include Mittelmeier, Mittelmeyer, Mittelmajer, and Mitelman, amongst others.
Mittelmayer is derived from the German word "mittel" meaning middle, combined with the combination of "mayer" and "meier", which come from two distinct Middle High German words meaning "lord" and "steward" respectively. Thus, the surname suggests that the original bearers were landed stewards or administrators in middle ages Germany.
The surname can also appear in other spellings such as Medeleier, Metzemeieyer, Matzme使er, Medemeyer, Metzmeyǖer, Meidelmayer, and Meidamayer, amongst others. These, however, are mostly not very common.
The most popular variants of Mittelmayer outside of Germany and other German-speaking countries are of two different origins. The first one is with an "e" at the end, as found in Mittelman and Mitelman, and this originates from the Jewish name Malkin. The second variant is with an "a" at the end, such as in Mittelmajer and Mittelmaya, and this originates from the Polish Mazur, meaning "a man from Mazovia".
In addition to the various spellings, there are also several surnames of similar origin, such as Medelmayer, Modalmejka, Medlej, and Matulej. These all ultimately derive from either the German word "mittel" or the Polish name Mazur.
Famous people with the name Mittelmayer
- Donald M. Mittelmayer: He is a prominent American businessman and philanthropist who serves as Chairman and CEO of Global Growth company Premira.
- Stephen Mittelmayer: Stephen is an American composer best known for his film scores and his unique approach to orchestral writing.
- Laura Mittelmayer: Laura is an entrepreneur and digital strategist who just launched her new startup called GeekHer which focuses on empowering women in tech and the greater tech community.
- Hermann Mittelmayer: Hermann was a German-born American director, producer, writer, cinematographer and special effects innovator in the early days of Hollywood.
- Alexander Mittelmayer: Alexander is a German video game designer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Mittelmayer Gaming Company and has won numerous awards for his work in the field.
- Elle Mittelmayer: Elle is a Swedish fashion and costume designer known for her fantasy and sci-fi inspired fashions.
- Donald J. Mittelmayer: Donald is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 67th governor of the State of New York from 1986 to 1988.
- Thomas Mittelmayer: Thomas is an Austrian football midfielder who currently plays for Austrian Bundesliga club Admira Wacker.
- Wesley Mittelmayer: Wesley is an American mathematician and computer scientist respected for his work in the fields of AI and computer vision.
- Jan Mittelmayer: Jan is a Czech-born Austrian composer who is best known for his classical composition works.