Surname Ostermayr - Meaning and Origin
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Ostermayr: What does the surname Ostermayr mean?
The last name Ostermayr is an old Germanic surname, with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the two elements “oster,” meaning “east” and “meir,” meaning “famous” or “famous people.” The combination of the two words creates an image of a family from the East who are renowned for their wealth and status in society. Although the exact spelling may differ from region to region, the name always contains these two elements.
Historically, the “oster” element in the name often indicated that the family was from the eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire, such as Bavaria, Austria and Tyrol. In some cases, “oster” was also connected with the eastward expansion of Germanic tribes, settlers, and rulers towards the area now known as Eastern Europe.
The “meir” element in the name usually denoted a family of some standing, and likely indicated that they were of noble, wealthy, or powerful descent. It is likely that the family held positions of responsibility involving religious or political power in the medieval and early modern period.
Today, the name Ostermayr can be found in numerous countries around Europe, along with parts of the United States and Canada. It is a reminder of the considerable contributions made by Germanic families over hundreds of years, and the imprint they have left on modern society.
Order DNA origin analysisOstermayr: Where does the name Ostermayr come from?
The last name Ostermayr is commonly found in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein today. It is most commonly found in southeastern Germany, specifically in the German state of Bavaria, in the south of Germany near the border of Austria.
In German, the name Ostermayr is derived from the Middle High German word “Ostermair” which means "easter hare" or "easter guardian". This likely arises from the pre-Christian tradition of placing an “easter hare” or animal master on the roofs of buildings to protect them from evil and guard the people inside.
In Austria the surname Ostermayr is especially in the Tyrol region, in the south of Austria near the Italian border.
Some people with the Ostermayr last name have also settled in the US. About 1600 people in the United States are of German descent and bear the last name Ostermayr. The earliest settling, born in 1775, is Jacob Ostromayer, who is known as the first Ostermayr to ever settle in the United States.
In addition, research from 2015 reveals that 29 people with the Ostermayr last name are currently living in Canada.
So in summary, the name Ostermayr is still quite common in Southeast Germany and Austria, and some members of the family have spread out to Canada, the United States, and other parts of Europe.
Variations of the surname Ostermayr
The surname Ostermayr is an Austro-Bavarian variant of the Germanic name “Ostermeier”. It is a combination of the German words “oster” meaning “east” and “meier” meaning “steward” or “mayor”. The name was traditionally used to refer to a mayor or steward of an estate in the east.
Variants of the name Ostermayr include Ostmayr, Ostermaier, Ostmaier, Ostermeyr, Ostmeyer, Ostermair, and Ostmair. Alternate spellings include Ostermayer, Ostmayer, Ostermeyer, Ostermyer, Ostermair, Ostmair, Ostmeyr.
Surnames of similar origins are Ostendorf and Ostendorff, which both refer to someone from an eastern village.
Ostermayr also has variants in other languages, including Ustmair and Ustmaer in German and Estonian; Osterman, Ostersen and Ostelson in Scandinavian countries; Ostered in Dutch; and Uthmayr and Uthmaer in Austrian.
The current spelling and alternate spellings of Ostermayr are popular throughout Austria, Germany, and surrounding countries, as well as in the United States and Canada. It is also common in other parts of the world, such as Australia and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Ostermayr
- Andreas Ostermayr, German rugby player
- Manfred Ostermayr, Austrian sports shooter
- Jürgen Ostermayr, Austrian rugby player
- Katrin Ostermayr, German businesswoman
- Ortwin Ostermayr, German television presenter and producer
- Carina Ostermayr, German singer and songwriter
- Dominik Ostermayr, Austrian politician
- Emmerich Ostermayr, Austrian politician
- Florian Ostermayr, German chess grandmaster
- Lilian Ostermayr, German soprano singer
- Lukas Ostermayr, German football player
- Annemarie Ostermayr, German author