Surname Seelmäcker - Meaning and Origin
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Seelmäcker: What does the surname Seelmäcker mean?
The last name Seelmäcker is of Germanic origin and it is a patronymic name, derived from the surname 'Seel', which is a variant of the surname 'Sehl.' The name Seel is derived from a Germanic word meaning 'willow' referring to someone who lived near a willow tree. In some cases the surname might also have been derived from the Middle Low German word 'selle', meaning 'happiness', and consequently would have been a nickname for someone who was especially happy.
The name Seelmäcker usually gets passed down from father to son in a family. It often takes on different forms and can be derived from other related names, such as: Seelmacker, Seelmackerin, Selmacker, Selmackerin and Seelmack.
Most often, the name Seelmäcker refers to the occupation of the bearer or ancestor of the person holding the name. Specifically, these names were typically found among a group of tradespeople who specialized in making wagons, carriages and various pieces of equipment used by horse-drawn carriages.
Today many people bearing the name Seelmäcker are related to each other, living in all parts of the world. Not only is Germany a place where many trace their lineage back to the original Seelmäckers, but families of this name can also be found in the United States, Canada, Austria, and even elsewhere.
Order DNA origin analysisSeelmäcker: Where does the name Seelmäcker come from?
The last name Seelmäcker originates from Germany and is relatively rare today. It is most commonly found in regions of southwestern Germany including the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the first name Seel or Sel which refers to a stream or brook and Mäcker which likely has its origin in the German word machen meaning to do or to make.
Seelmäcker is also known as "Seelmacker" or "Selmaker" in some areas. Families bearing this name were likely found in rural areas and were likely involved in occupations related to farming and crop production.
While it is still uncommon today, Seelmäcker is much less rare in Germany. The surname is most numerous in the cities of Mönchengladbach, Lobberich, Erkelenz, and Geilenkirchen in North Rhine Westphalia as well as in Bad Kreuznach, Trier, and Neuwied in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Outside of Germany, the name is most common in the United States and Canada. It is thought that the surname first arrived in the US around the 19th century. It has since then spread across the Midwest and East Coast to states such as Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The same can be said for Canada, although it is not as wide-spread as in the US.
Despite having a relatively small presence worldwide, the surname Seelmäcker continues to be carried on today in areas of Germany, the US, and Canada.
Variations of the surname Seelmäcker
The surname Seelmäcker is a German and Dutch surname and is derived from the Middle High German word selmec. It means smith and is an occupational name for a blacksmith. This surname has several variants, spellings and surname derivatives.
In German the surname Seelmäcker can be written as Seelmcker and Selmcker. In Dutch, the spelling Seelmäcker is also used but the surname is more commonly seen as Seelmakers and Selmeker.
The surname variations of Seelmäcker can be found in other parts of Europe, particularly in France and Belgium. The French spelling could be Selmec or Selmac and the Belgian spelling could be Selmac or Selmaz. The shortened forms may also appear in different versions such as Sellmacher, Selmacke, Salmacka and Selmecker.
Surnames derived from Seelmäcker are Selma, Selmar, Salmac, Salmack and Selmec. These are cognates of the German and Dutch surnames and are derived from the same Middle High German origin.
Ultimately this surname derived from two Middle High German features: the word selmec (blacksmith) and the suffix ‘-er’, which is used to denote a person who performs a particular task or job. Seelmäcker and its variants and surnames of the same origin are thus primarily occupational surnames.
Famous people with the name Seelmäcker
- Annalena Seelmäcker: German actress
- Willy Seelmäcker: German football manager
- Max Seelmäcker: German musicologist
- Julius Seelmäcker: German architect
- Dieter Seelmäcker: German banker
- Frank Seelmäcker: German writer
- Robert Seelmäcker: German sculptor
- Fritz Seelmäcker: German painter
- Hans Seelmäcker: German physicist
- Margarete Seelmäcker: German poet