Surname Semler - Meaning and Origin
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Semler: What does the surname Semler mean?
The last name Semler is thought to have been derived from the German word 'Semmel' which means 'roll', 'bun', or 'bread roll' in English. It is believed to have been a name for someone who worked in the baking industry, indicating a profession as a baker.
The first known reference to the last name Semler dates back to 1405, on an official document concerning a miner from the area of Thuringia. This indicates the family were living in Eastern Germany, typically in or around the Thuringia region of the country.
The coat of arms of the Semler family is that of a black eagle on a silver background. Symbolically, the eagle represented the courage, strength, and power of the family.
Other forms of the name include Saml, Semmler, and Somlar. It is often found in various spellings in both Germany and other parts of Europe.
Today, many individuals of this surname still live in Germany, but can also be found in the United States, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Order DNA origin analysisSemler: Where does the name Semler come from?
The last name Semler is most commonly found in the United States and Germany. In the United States, the name is particularly common in the Midwest and East Coast states. According to Forebears, the Semler surname is widely distributed in the United States with a total population of nearly 15,000. In Germany, the surname is also very common, ranking 58th in terms of total frequency and overall concentration of surname.
According to the World Names Statistics, the prevalence rate of the last name Semler is relatively low in many countries. For example, in South Africa, France, and the United Kingdom, the name does not even appear among the top 1,000 most popular surnames. In Canada, the name ranks 1,812th out of the 2,229 most popular last names.
The Semler name is likely to have originated in Germany, probably in the Germanic state of Saxony. According to the familysearch.org website, the earliest listing of the surname in that region appears in the 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Middle High German words “sammen” and “ler”, meaning to join or gather together. It is likely that the name was originally given to a family who were particularly adept at bringing people and resources together.
Variations of the surname Semler
The surname Semler is of German origin and could come from the Low German Sem(e)ler, which is a nickname for someone who harvests or reaps grain (Or 'semele, simli' or "siml" as it is sometime referred to). Other variants of this surname include Samler, Sameler and Semmler.
The spelling variants of Semler include Semlar, Semlar, Semmler and Shambler.
The surname has several related surnames in various languages. The Dutch variants are ‘Sammelaar’, ‘Semmelaar’ and ‘Zammeleur’. In Hebrew it is 'Semal' and in Czech it is 'Seml'. In the United States, the surname has more modern spellings such as Semle, Shemley, Sheemler, Shamble, Smelley and Sameler.
The earliest recordings of the name Semler date back to 1260 in Germany, where Everhardus dictus Semmlere was recorded in a document. Other early examples throughout Europe include Johannes Semmler, recorded in Germany in 1350, Erasmus Semola in Italy from 1476 and a record of the marriage of Jorich Semmeler in Groningen, Holland, in 1544.
The surname is also found in the United States, with founding ancestors of the name living in the 16th century including Matthius Semler who was recorded in Pennsylvania in 1683. Other founding families of the same name in the US were Jakob Semler from Germany and Mathias Semler who arrived in Virginia in 1736.
Famous people with the name Semler
- Storm Semler: actor and producer who works primarily in the horror genre.
- Christina Semler: cinematographer best known for her documentary work.
- Samaire Armstrong: American actress, writer, artist, fashion designer, and model.
- Susan Semler: entrepreneur, author, and technology advocate.
- Paul Semler: American architect and former partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
- Sarah Semler: Digital Rights Advocate and Director of Knowledge & Innovation at the American Association of Airlines.
- Simon Semler: Danish composer, pianist, and music producer.
- Maximilian Semler: German industrial artist and designer.
- Brian Semler: American game designer, creator of the award-winning card game Munchkin.
- Kat Semler: Canadian singer-songwriter and painter.