Surname Schmidtmeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Schmidtmeyer: What does the surname Schmidtmeyer mean?
The last name Schmidtmeyer is of German origin and is part of a group of names that have "meier" attached to them. These names are derived from the root word "meister", which means "master". This is because historically, these were names given to a master builder, farmer, or other professions that required a skill set and expertise.
The last name Schmidtmeyer, specifically, is a combination of the words "Schmidt" and "Meier". The word "Schmidt" is the German version of the name Smith. It often indicates an occupation, in this case a blacksmith. The word "Meier" generally shows relation to a certain property or landowner. So when combined, the two words together mean someone of the Schmidt (or Smith) family who is a landowner.
Over the years, the last name Schmidtmeyer can be found used in Germany, the Netherlands, and in some cases in the United States. Although the last name is not as common as it once was, it is still being used by many families today.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmidtmeyer: Where does the name Schmidtmeyer come from?
The last name Schmidtmeyer is fairly common across Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the United States. In Germany, this name is especially common in the states of Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the Netherlands, only a few can be found in its southern regions, particularly in Limburg and Zeeland. In Luxembourg, the surname is found mostly in the capital city of Luxembourg City as well as several other areas, such as Echternach, Diekirch, Grevenmacher, and Vianden.
In the United States, the surname is most common in the Midwest, particularly in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. It is also widely found in Iowa, as well as surrounding states like North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Further south, it can be found in the states of Arkansas and Indiana. On the East Coast, it is found in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. There are also a few people bearing the surname in California, Florida, and New York.
As an additional point of note, the surname Schmidtmeyer is also sometimes found in Australia and other countries around the world due to significant migrations from those areas.
Variations of the surname Schmidtmeyer
The surname Schmidtmeyer has various prounciations, spellings, and variants. These alternate versions typically derive from the same root surname, however, some of the variants may have evolved independently to represent distinct families.
The most common variations for the surname Schmidtmeyer include Schmidtmyer, Schmidtmayer, Schmidmeyer, Schmidmair, Schmedtmeyer, and Schmedtmayer.
In addition to the spellings mentioned above, the surname Schmidtmeyer can also be spelled as Shmidtmeyer and Schmid Meijer (the German variant). The name differs in additional ways throughout Europe, appearing as Smitsmayer, Smetzmoyer, Smedsmayr, Smitsmeyer and Smitsmaer in places as varied as the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Finland.
The Schneider family name and its various spellings are closely related to the Schmidtmeyer family. Schneider is the German for "tailor," and sometimes Schmidtmeyer families adopted the Schneider name. Other names closely associated – but not necessarily derived – from Schmidtmeyer, include Meyer, Myer, and Meyers.
In the United States, where German immigrants divided their ancestral names into more manageable versions in an effort to anglicize them, alternate spellings of Schmidtmeyer could include Shmidtmyer, Shmidtmayer, Schmidmyer, Schmidmair, Schmedtmyer, Schmedtmayer, Smitsmyer, Smetzmoyer, Smedsmayr, Smitsmeyer, and Smitsmaer, among others.
In all, variations of Schmidtmeyer – and its related family names – include several hundred spellings. As such, the history and origin of a Schmidtmeyer family line is likely to be quite complex indeed.
Famous people with the name Schmidtmeyer
- Martin Schmidtmeyer: Artist from Germany who received the prestigious Honor Award from the 2016 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards
- Max Schmidtmeyer: German photographer, best known for his daring reportage works in post WWII Europe
- Kurt Schmidtmeyer: German actor, noted for his roles in The Great Escape, Shocking Blue, and various television series
- Lisa Schmidtmeyer: German actress who won awards for supporting roles in many films, including Wicker Park and Me and My Girl
- Johanna Schmidtmeyer: Famous German author and poet who wrote stories for German magazines before going on to write novels
- Daniel Schmidtmeyer: Internationally renowned German composer, arranger, and frequent collaborator with filmmaker Wim Wenders
- Friederike Schmidtmeyer: Influential German graphic designer who contributed to newspapers, books, and other publications
- Siegfried Schmidtmeyer: Renowned film director from Germany who directed many classical films including Le Sourd de la Brume
- Georg Schmidtmeyer: German theatre director and founder of the wild outdoor theatre Szeneche, presenting various open-air performances each year
- Ferdinand Schmidtmeyer: Prominent sculptor renowned for several statues, including the golden Venus de Regensburg, which stands in the city’s neo-classic square