Surname Spindeldreher - Meaning and Origin

Spindeldreher: What does the surname Spindeldreher mean?

The last name Spindeldreher is believed to have originated from Germany and is most commonly found there. The surname is thought to be derived from the German word ‘spindel’ which can mean ‘spindle’, and ‘drehen’ which can mean ‘to turn’. Spindeldreher would then mean “one who turns a spindle” or “a spinner”.

This suggests that initially the surname was likely given to a person who worked as a spinner, a role which was used to turn short fibers into yarn in pre-industrial era Europe. A spinner would use a spindle that held a bundle of fibers and twist it to create the yarn.

Since the introduction of the industrial revolution, the need for this laborious manual process has all but disappeared due to the introduction of automated spinning machines, although the name persists as a reminder of the bygone era. Now the last name is used mainly as a surname or family name, giving anyone with this namesake the great honour of being of weaver/spinner heritage.

Spindeldreher: Where does the name Spindeldreher come from?

The surname Spindeldreher is rarely seen today, though it is primarily concentrated around the midwestern United States. There is a particularly large cluster of Spindeldreher families located in the Wisconsin area near the cities of Milwaukee and Green Bay.

The surname is more densely distributed in the northern states of Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. Smaller percentages of Spindeldreher families have also been noted in Iowa, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. Records indicate that the surname is not found in the western or southern United States outside the Wisconsin area.

The Spindeldreher family is believed to have originated in the mid 1800s, when immigrants from Germany settled in Wisconsin. The name Spindeldreher is German in origin and its literal translation is “spindle driver". This likely refers to the profession of the original bearer who may have been an occupation associated with the weaving or textile industry.

Over time, the surname has been Anglicized to both "Spindle" and "Spindler", though these variants appear to be less common today. The Spindeldreher surname is a rare one and it is likely that all people bearing this name are either directly descended from the original immigrant family, or else related to them through marriage.

Variations of the surname Spindeldreher

The surname Spindeldreher is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word “Spindeldreyer” which literally means “one who twists or whirls”, referring to the profession of one who spins wool into thread. Variants of the surname include Spindel Dreher, Spindel-Dreher, and Spindeldreyer.

The alternative spellings of the surname include Spindledreher, Spindeleder, Spindelledreher, and Spindledreyer.

The most common surnames of similar origin are Spindler and Spindlers. The surnames both originated from the Middle High German word “Spindal” which means “wheel”. The word “Spindal” is derived from the Latin word “spinella” which also meant “wheel”. Spindler was a common German occupational name for someone who worked with a spinning wheel while Spindlers referred to someone who made or worked with spinning wheels.

Other surnames of the same origin as Spindeldreher include Spinnier, Spinneweber, and Spinnacker. Spinnier is derived from the Middle High German word “spinnen” which means “to spin”. Spinneweber is derived from the word “spinne” which means “spider” and “weber” which means “weaver”, so Spinneweber refers to one who wove cloth on a loom. Lastly, Spinnacker is derived from the Middle High German word “spinnegan” which means “to twist”, referring to the process of spinning thread.

Famous people with the name Spindeldreher

• Peter Spindeldreher (1903-1968): German football player, manager and team captain for Türkischer Sport-Club.
• Siegfried Spindeldreher (1908–1994): Swiss ornithologist and scientist.
• Robert Spindeldreher (1910–1995): American racing driver and drag racer.
• Erna Spindeldreher (1916–2007): German actress and cabaret artist.
• Heinz Spindeldreher (1920–2008):German footballer.
• Hans Spindeldreher (1926–1972): German football player and manager.
• Josef Spindeldreher (born 1933): Austrian politician.
• Sigrid Spindeldreher (born 1946): German architect and interior designer.
• Heinz Spindeldreher (born 1947): German animal rights activist.
• Mike Spindeldreher (born 1958): American radio and television personality.

Other surnames

Spindeldreier