Surname Steffensmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Steffensmeier: What does the surname Steffensmeier mean?
The last name Steffensmeier is a German surname, likely derived from a place-name. It is derived from the combination of two words which mean "Stephan's meadow". This suggests that the family originally hailed from a small settlement in Germany called "Stephan's meadow". This place-name could have been named after a man with the name Stephan who lived in the area.
The last name Steffensmeier is most commonly found in Westphalia, Germany, a region in the north west of the country. It is possible that the original Stephan who the family was named after and the origin of the name is from this region.
The Steffensmeier family have been in Germany for many centuries. They have a long and proud history filled with stories of achievement and heroic deeds. The Steffensmeier is an aristocratic family, many of whom reached high levels of education and professional success.
Throughout its long history, the last name Steffensmeier has been used in Germany to denote high-status individuals and families. It is an indication of the proud heritage that comes with the name and the family's long-standing history within the region.
Order DNA origin analysisSteffensmeier: Where does the name Steffensmeier come from?
The most common region to find the last name Steffensmeier is in Germany. Specifically, it has a large presence in the northeast state of Lower Saxony, particularly around the towns of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Delmenhorst, Wildeshausen, and Bremen.
Historically, the Steffensmeiers can be traced to Rudolf Steffensmeyer who is thought to have lived in Osnabrück in the second half of the 1400s. As is typical in Lower Saxony, families with surnames like Steffensmeier are more likely to be Catholic rather than Protestant, and, like many of their neighbors, likely began as small farmers and small business owners.
While Steffensmeier is a relatively rare name, it does have a presence in other countries as well. There are records of the Steffensmeier name in the United States, primarily concentrated in areas with heavy German immigration such as Nebraska and Iowa. Additionally, there are a handful of Steffensmeiers that show up in records from the Netherlands, France, Denmark, and other European countries.
This surname, however, remains largely German. So if you’re looking for a Steffensmeier family tree, it’s best to start your search in Lower Saxony and the surrounding regions in Germany.
Variations of the surname Steffensmeier
The surname Steffensmeier is derived from the German family name Steffen and is found across several countries especially in Europe, the Americas, and Australia. There are various spellings for this surname, as well as other variants and names with the same origin.
The most common variants of this name include Steffens, Steffen, Steffensmit, Stiefenhagen, and Steffensma. All of these names are closely associated with Steiffs and could be related to the Steffensmeier surname. The Steffen surname can be traced back to the 11th century in Germany, when it was primarily found in the Rhineland region. The Steffen spelling is also record in Austria and Switzerland, as well as other parts of Germany.
Other spellings and surnames derived from the same origin include Steffenmeyer, Stifenmayer, Stemmer, Steffers, and Stepf. In the United States, the Steffens family can be traced to the mid-18th century, when it was brought to the continent by German settlers. These German settlers eventually settled in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and other Midwestern states.
Variants of the Steffensmeier name have also been born by people of Jewish ancestry. For example, the Steifenmair family, originally from Poland and Ukraine, has its own distinct Jewish origin. Other Steffensmeier variants include Schtevenmeier, Steffnmeier, and Sleffenmeier.
Finally, it is possible that Steffensmeier is a double-barreled surname or combination surname formed from two different Germanic surnames. For example, a combination of Steffen and Meier, or Stephan and Schmeer, would form a Steffensmeier surname. While it is impossible to know for sure, this is a potential origin of the Steffensmeier surname.
Famous people with the name Steffensmeier
- Ernie Steffensmeier, an American professional golfer.
- Duffy Steffensmeier, an American high school, collegiate, and amateur basketball coach.
- Marc-André Steffensmeier, a German handball player.
- Ely Steffensmeier, a Canadian football player.
- Bob Steffensmeier, an American philanthropist and former politician.
- Joseph Steffensmeier, an American musicologist, ethnomusicologist, and professor of musicology.
- Kyle Steffensmeier, an American former professional baseball pitcher.
- Kurt Steffensmeier, a former American football coach.
- Seth Steffensmeier, an American politician and a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives.
- Tim Steffensmeier, a former football coach who was the offensive coordinator for Pima Community College for nine seasons.