Surname Ottemeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Ottemeyer: What does the surname Ottemeyer mean?
The surname Ottemeyer is German in origin and derives from the old German words "Otto" and "Meier". The name "Otto" means "wealth" or "fortune", while "Meier" means "steward", or an administrative official who manages a large estate or monastery.
As a result, the surname Ottemeyer literally translates to "fortune steward" or a "wealthy manager", indicating a member of the community with a position of financial oversight and responsibility.
The surname is quite common in the German-speaking world, especially in lower Saxony and Sachsen-Anhalt. It is also found in other German-speaking countries like Austria, Switzerland and Chilean cities founded by German settlers.
Traditionally, the name Ottemeyer has been associated with professions such as financial administrators, accountants, merchants and estate managers. In more recent times, people bearing the name have gone into a variety of different careers, such as medicine, law and teaching.
The surname Ottemeyer is a testament to the long and rich history of the German people, and is likely to remain an influential part of European culture for many generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisOttemeyer: Where does the name Ottemeyer come from?
The last name Ottemeyer is most commonly found in Germany, with a significant presence in the United States and Canada as well.
In Germany, the name is especially common in the northwest region of the country, particularly in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The cities of Halle, Bielefeld, and Düsseldorf have the highest populations of people with the last name Ottemeyer.
In the United States and Canada, the name is found mainly in the Midwest, particularly Michigan and Ohio, as well as the surrounding states. Canada also has a significant number of Ottemeyer families living in Ontario and British Columbia.
Most of these family lines can be traced back to 19th century German immigrants. As such, the name Ottemeyer remains quite prominent among German-American and German-Canadian families today, although its frequency has decreased slightly with each successive generation.
Variations of the surname Ottemeyer
Otte Meyer, Ottemeyer, Odumeyer, and Ottermeyer are all variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Ottemeyer.
Ottemeyer is a surname of German origin, a habitational name for someone from a place named Otte. This place name comes from the Low German ‘ot’ meaning ‘forest’ or ‘eagle’s nest’ or ‘divided woods’. In dialects it could also mean ‘pointed hill’. The addition of ‘Meyer’ is a common occupational name for a farmer or a steward.
The variant spelling of Ottemeyer, Odumeyer, is more likely from Low German dialects. The name Odumney probably meant ‘the estate of Odum’, deriving from the Old German form of Oddo. Similarly, the variant spelling of Otte Meyer, Ottermeyer, is an occupational name stemming from the Old German ‘Otto’, which meant ‘wealth’ or ‘fortune’. A steward or executor of an estate would be designated ‘Otto’ and was thus called ‘Otte Meyer’. Additionally, Ottermeyer also comes from Low German dialects and means ‘of the forest’ or ‘of the sea’.
Therefore, all of these variants, spellings, and surnames come from similar origins and meanings. All of these spellings stem from Germanic roots of ‘forest’, ‘estate’, ‘wealth’, ‘hill’ and ‘sea’. Each spelling denotes an occupation, or hails from a local place name or region, or signifies wealth and fortune. People with these variants of the surname Ottemeyer are likely related upon deeper examination of ancestry.
Famous people with the name Ottemeyer
- Libby Ottemeyer, award-winning business leader and speaker
- Charles Ottemeyer, German theologian
- Rudi Ottemeyer, former German soccer player
- Robert Ottemeyer, amateur wrestler
- Lily Ottemeyer, professional dancer
- Virginia Ottemeyer, opera singer
- Bryan Ottemeyer, former U.S. Navy Officer and submarine Commander
- Bruce Ottemeyer, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
- Mollie Ottemeyer, writer and illustrator
- Franz Ottemeyer, former German politician