Surname Selmayr - Meaning and Origin
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Selmayr: What does the surname Selmayr mean?
The surname Selmayr is of ancient Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old German word "selm", which means "binding cord". The name, therefore, suggests that its first bearer was a rope-maker or a person whose profession was related to rope-making.
The Selmayrs were historically a large, influential German family of peasant farmers. They were well known in Bavaria, Austria, and southern Germany for their farming practices, such as the development of new breeds of wheat.
The family crest which the Selmayrs carried often included a complex, intertwined rope symbol, a visual reference to the family’s original trade. In Bavaria, the Selmayrs were typically resourceful and enterprising, often engaging in small-scale trades with other villages.
The name Selmayr is uncommon today, but can still be found in parts of Germany. As a surname, it signifies a strong sense of loyalty, resourcefulness and adaptability. It is a reminder of the importance of knowledge and skills, and how quickly such traits can be passed down through generations.
Order DNA origin analysisSelmayr: Where does the name Selmayr come from?
The Selmayr family name is most commonly associated with southern German-speaking regions such as Bavaria and Austria. Today, members of the Selmayr family can be found in many places around the world as a result of the mass emigration of Europeans in the 19th and 20th centuries. Those who settled in the United States, Canada, and other countries can especially be found in cities, states, and provinces that have higher concentrations of German-speaking people.
In Bavaria, Selmayr is a fairly common surname. Its etymology likely derives from the Latin “scelederius” which is a type of medieval armor used by knights. In terms of its spread and range, the Selmayr family name is most frequently encountered in the Upper Palatinate region, a rural area located between the two major Bavarian cities of Munich and Nuremberg.
Other places throughout Europe also show a high presence of Selmayrs. For instance, much of northern and eastern Austria is densely populated by people of the Selmayr family. This is likely due to its proximity to Germany and the areas where the surname is most concentrated.
Finally, Selmayrs are also extremely common in certain regions of eastern Europe. Poland, Romania, and Slovakia in particular have shown a significant presence of the Selmayr surname over the centuries. It is therefore safe to say that the Selmayr family name can be found in numerous parts of the world today.
Variations of the surname Selmayr
The surname Selmayr has various spellings and variants throughout Europe. The different forms of this surname are complicated yet also varied.
In German, Selmayr is spelled Selmaier, Selmayer, Selmair, Salmaier, Salmayer, Selmeyer, Selmeir, Selmeyr, Salmeyer, and Salmeir. These all stem from the word “selm”, which means high land in the Bavarian language.
In Austria and Hungary, the surname may appear as Selmayer and Salmayer. This name was formed from the Middle High German word “samen” which means near or around.
In Switzerland, the name appears as Selmier.
In France, the name appears as Salmiere and Selmiere, stemming from the Latin word “salmo” which means fleeting or flying through the air.
In Italy and Spain, the name is spelled as Selmi, Salmi or Selmo, which derives from the Latin “salmus” meaning salt water.
In the United States and Canada, the surname has also been Americanized to become Sellmayr and Sellmier.
Selmayr is a very adaptable surname, having been anglicized for English speaking countries with just a few minor changes in spelling. It is most often found in German-speaking countries, however, and is linked to Bavarian and Austrian regions.
Famous people with the name Selmayr
- Martin Selmayr: Martin Selmayr is a German lawyer who served as Secretary-General of the European Commission from 2018 to 2019.
- Johann Selmayr: Johann Selmayr is a German-Austrian conductor, composer and conductor. He was the principal conductor of The Royal Ballet of London from 1993 to 1998.
- Eva Selmayr: Eva Selmayr is an Austrian composer and flutist. She is best known for her work on the film The Fledgling (2002) which won her the Austrian Music Academy Award.
- Christiane Selmayr: Christiane Selmayr is a Swiss-Austrian scholar, philosopher and lecturer at the University of Vienna. Her research focuses on the philosophy of the body, specifically on the gendered construction of physicality.
- Alexandre Selmayr: Alexandre Selmayr is a French physical chemist and professor at ENS Paris. His research focuses on Computational Chemistry, Nonlinear Dynamics and Spectroscopy.
- Ludwig Selmayr: Ludwig Selmayr was an Austrian architect. He designed many of the important early neo-medieval structures of Vienna. Ludwig Selmayr is best known for the Kursalon in Vienna, He was awarded the Cross of Honor for Science and Art, 1st Class, by the Austrian Government.
- Konrad Selmayr: Konrad Selmayr is a Swiss musician and conductor. He is the current chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
- Adelheid Selmayr: Adelheid Selmayr is a German politician and former member of the Austrian Social Democratic Party. She was a member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2014.
- Franz Selmayr: Franz Selmayr is an Austrian art historian and curator. He was a curator at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna from 1976 to 2013.
- Reinhold Selmayr: Reinhold Selmayr is an Austrian artist who works in painting, printmaking and sculpture. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna from 1972-1975.