Surname Schlichenmayer - Meaning and Origin
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Schlichenmayer: What does the surname Schlichenmayer mean?
The last name Schlichenmayer is a German surname, hailing from the country's southern region. It is believed to be derived from a place name, indicating that the original bearers of the name once lived in or around a settlement called Schlich or Schlichen. The name is most likely derived from the German word Schlich, meaning “hedge,” or from the Middle High German word Schlich, which is also related, meaning “tangle,” “bushes,” or “hedgerow.”
The earliest written record of the Schlichenmayer surname is from 1299, when one Albinus Schlich was mentioned in a court record of Oberursel, Germany. Over time, the name developed into various regional spellings including Schlichenmayer, Schlichmayer, Schelmayer, and Schlämmerer. The name spread throughout Germany with emigration to America in the mid 19th century and can now be found in countries around the world.
The Schlichenmayer name is an example of the habitation surnames that were common in Europe in Medieval times. Describing a condition of residence, the name-bearers once made their home in the beautiful and peaceful setting of a hedge, making it a symbol of their family history.
Order DNA origin analysisSchlichenmayer: Where does the name Schlichenmayer come from?
The last name Schlichenmayer is most commonly found in Germany, particularly around the Bavarian region of Germany. The surname is quite an old name, having first been mentioned in documents as early as the 15th century. It is believed to derive from the Old German words ‘Schlich’ and ‘Meyer’, which translates to the term ‘scythe-keeper’. This could imply that those bearing this name had a profession with some connection to agricultural pastures or farming tools.
Today the Schlichenmayer surname can be found in many parts of Germany, in addition to other countries such as Austria and Switzerland. This is likely due to the migrations of Germans across Europe over several centuries. It has also been established in America, particularly in Pennsylvania, through migrating German families in the 19th century. A large number of Schlichenmayer families continue to live in the USA, particularly in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New York.
Furthermore, over the last century the surname has also been adopted South America, with the majority being in Colombia and Peru. This likely came as a result of German emigrants from Germany and neighboring countries in the South American region. In more recent years, due to global mobility, the last name Schlichenmayer is increasingly found across Europe and North America, but the most common countries remain Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Schlichenmayer
The surname Schlichenmayer has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common spelling of this surname is Schlichenmayer, but it can also be found spelled as Schlickenmayer, Schlikenmayer, Schlichtenmayer, Schlichtmayer, Schlizmayer, Schltzenmayer, and Shlichenmayer.
One of the oldest variations of this surname is Schlichenmaier. It is derived from the old German Schlichen, which means sly or devious, and maier, which means mayor or bailiff. The surname Schlikenmayer likely originated from the original Schlichenmaier spelling being combined with the German word ken, meaning keen or alert.
Other variants of this surname include Schulchmayer, Schulzmayer, Schmidmayer, and Schmitmayer. All of these surnames likely derived from the original Schlichenmaier, as Schult is an ancient term for judge, Schulch is a variation of Schult, Schulze is a variation of Schult, schmid means smith or metalworker, and schmit means carpenter or one who chisels stone.
There are several more derivatives of the Schlichenmayer surname. In Austria and Germany, the name may be found spelled as Schlickemayer, Schlingmayer, Schlömayer, and Schmalmayer. The name may also be found spelled in other languages, such as in Poland as Szlichenmayer, in Czech as Schlichemayer, and in Hungarian as Szlichemayer.
Famous people with the name Schlichenmayer
- Valentin Schlichenmayer: German composer, violinist, theorist, and music journalist.
- Caroline Schlichenmayer: Emeritus Artistic Director at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.
- Adolf Schlichenmayer: German architect of the late Baroque and Rococo periods.
- Konrad Schlichenmayer: German composer of Baroque operas and other works.
- Josef Schlichenmayer: German flower painter.
- Fritz Schlichenmayer: German writer and journalist.
- Manfred Schlichenmayer: German filmmaker and photographer who has worked in broadcast commercial and film.
- Lothar Schlichenmayer: German physicist specializing in atom optics and quantum chaos.
- Simone Schlichenmayer: German interior designer and television presenter.
- Hans Schlichenmayer: German actor.