Surname Mittelmeier - Meaning and Origin

Mittelmeier: What does the surname Mittelmeier mean?

Mittelmeier is a German surname thought to have originated from either Bavaria or northern Germany. The name is derived from the German word for "middle" - Mittel - and the old German word Meier, which means "landlord". Originally, the name was associated with people who owned a medium-sized plot of land. Generally, the person was a tenant farmer who had ties to a noble, and held the rights to cultivating, harvesting, and distributing the land's produce.

The original meaning of the name can still be found in parts of Germany, softer as a spelling variation where the word Meier has been changed to Meijer, sometimes pronounced as Meyer. From this, the name comes to mean both "middle landowner" and "middle farmer".

The name has spread slightly beyond Germany's borders, particularly in areas of modern-day Poland and the Czech Republic. It still carries the same connotations of land ownership and farming, but is often part of families of no longer involved in agriculture, and may be a way for many to remember past generations' occupations.

In modern-day Germany, the name is not common. There are very few families with this surname living in the country currently - instead, it is often a reflection of centuries-old families, a record of ancestors and their profession.

Mittelmeier: Where does the name Mittelmeier come from?

The last name Mittelmeier is most common in Germany. According to the 2020 census, there are approximately 4,467 people with that name living in Germany. Other countries with significant populations include Norway and Austria.

In Norway, Mittelmeier is the 245th most common surname; approximately 1,077 people with that surname live there. In Austria, a few hundred people share the name. Additionally, small populations with this last name can be found in nations in Europe, such as Denmark and Czechia, as well as in Canada and the United States.

Outside of Europe, the surname is practically nonexistent. This is likely due to the fact that the name largely originated in Germany, and only a few individuals with the name spread to other places.

Mittelmeier is usually found in areas where German is spoken. This is unsurprising, as the name is derived from the German phrase, “Middle of the Meadow.” It was likely given to a person who had a house or lived near a meadow in the middle of a village.

Mittelmeier is an uncommon but old German surname. Though there are relatively small populations around the world, the name is most common in Germany.

Variations of the surname Mittelmeier

The surname Mittelmeier can trace its roots to the mid-13th century in Germany. It is a topographical name for someone who lived in an area that was situated in the middle of a grassy meadow. The surname can be found in various forms of variation, spellings and surnames of the same origin, which include:

Mittelmyer, Mittlemeyer, Mittelmeer, Mitteldorfer, Mittelmaier, Mittelmayer, Mittelmeier, Mittlemaier, Middelmeyer, Middelman, Middelkoop, Miedema, Miedemann, Middelkamp, Middelkop, Miedermeier, Metelman, Metelmann, Metelmanns, Metzlermeder, Metzlermayer, Metzlermeier, Middelburg, Middelmeier, Middelberg and Mittelburg.

Mittelmeier is a surname of German origin and indicates that a person or their ancestors may have migrated, at one time, from Germany or another German-speaking region, such as Switzerland or Austria. The surname can be found in and around Germany, as well as in other regions like the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and the United States.

Mittelmeier is most commonly Anglicized as Middlemyer, Middlemeyer, Middlemaier, and Middlemeier but is also sometimes given as other adaptations from German to English. All of these surnames—Middlemeyer, Middlemyer, Middlemaier, Middlemeier, and Mittelmeier—derive from the same source.

The spelling Mittelmeier is the most frequently-encountered variant of the name, but all of the spellings of the surname are derived from the words Mittel (middle) and Meier (a common German term for farmers). The use of different spellings and variants has resulted in many variations on the original surname Mittelmeier.

Famous people with the name Mittelmeier

• Lisa Mittelmeier: celebrity makeup artist and beauty consultant based in Los Angeles; has worked with countless A-list celebrities
• Michael Mittelmeier: International equities trader; leader of the large multi-asset class strategy team at Bank of America
• Jacob Mittelmeier: Actor, known for his roles in the television series Paradise Hotel and Stuttgart Crime
• George Mittelmeier: Former footballer and manager of the German football club Hertha BSC Berlin
• Christina Mittelmeier: German entrepreneur, founder of the media company Across the Line Media
• David Mittelmeier: Physician and research scientist; specializes in diabetes care and treatments
• Bruno Mittelmeier: German ice hockey player; member of the gold-winning German team at the 2018 Winter Olympics
• Emily Mittelmeier: Actress, appearing in films such as The Muppet Rematch and Soap & Glory
• Beatrice Mittelmeier: German fashion designer and founder of the streetwear label Suits & Skirts
• John Mittelmeier: Professional golfer; competed in several PGA Tour events and finished in the top 15 twice

Other surnames

Mittelmeyer