Surname Techtmeier - Meaning and Origin

Techtmeier: What does the surname Techtmeier mean?

The last name Techtmeier is an interesting one of Germanic origin. It is composed of two elements - the word “techt,” which means “teacher” or “tutor” in German, and “meier,” which is a patronymic surname derived from the Hebrew personal name Meir, meaning “illustrious” or “bright.”

Since there is no obvious connection between education and illustriousness, it has been hypothesized that the surname could have been the result of a name adopted by the first generation with the surname Techtmeier. This kind of practice was common in Germany, especially during the Middle Ages, when people would take on the name of their occupations, or the name of a lord that they served, as a sort of expression of loyalty.

Alternatively, the surname could have come from a nickname. In German, the word “techt” can also be used to mean “good-at-teaching,” so perhaps the first holder of the surname came to have the name because he was especially skilled in his profession of teaching and education.

Regardless of how it came to be, the name Techtmeier has been around since at least the early 1500s, when it is first recorded in German documents. The surname appears to be quite unique and rare, with most of its current bearers found in the American Midwest.

Techtmeier: Where does the name Techtmeier come from?

The surname Techtmeier is commonly found in Germany, particularly in Hamburg, the second-most populous city in the nation. The name is also found in parts of the United States due to 18th-century German emigration. In the U.S., the surname is most common in New York, followed by California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In remote areas, particularly small towns, the name is far less common and is likely to be the surname of a few families with some members.

In Germany, the surname has been found in records dating back to the 16th century. The name originated in the medieval German region, which is now a part of modern-day North Rhine-Westphalia. It was the name of a local noble family in the 15th and 16th centuries, and was likely first used as a surname by members of the family after it became a hereditary position.

The surname is also found in Russia, particularly in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the Russian cities mentioned, the surname is often associated with German and Baltic-German emigrants who settled in Moscow in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Though it is a relatively uncommon surname, the Techtmeier surname is found in several parts of the world, including Germany, the U.S., and Russia. It is likely that the surname was born out of an atmosphere of German emigration, as most records point to the early Techtmeier families having German origins.

Variations of the surname Techtmeier

The German name Techtmeier is derived from the Middle High German word "têkestat", meaning settlement or taxation. This suggests that the family may have originally been ennobled landholders or tax collectors. The name has many different spellings and variants. The suffix -meier may also refer to a miller or to tenants of a particular estate.

Variants and Alternate Spellings

Techtmeier may be written as Tektmeier, Techtmayer, Tektmayer, Teckmeier, Techmeier, Tekmeier, Teckemeier, Tecmeier, Teckmayer, Teckemayer, Tackmeier, Takmeier, Tackmayer, and Takmayer.

Surnames of the Same Origin

Variants of Techtmeier include Tecklenburg, Teken, Techant, Tecke, Teckman, Teckmann, Tecken, Teken, Tequendeman, Tecke, Tekerman and Tak.

All of these names are derived from the Middle High German "têkestat". They could each refer to a family that originally held a particular estate or were involved in taxation. They may also be related to occupations of milling or tenant farming.

Other surnames which may share the same root as Techtmeier are Tekamp, Teklien, Tecklenburg, Telkamp, Tekampe, Thielk and Thiele. These are all derived from the German word 'thekel', meaning smallholder. This suggests that these families may have been small landholders or merchants.

Famous people with the name Techtmeier

• Tobias Techtmeier: Tobias is an Austrian Businessman and owner of the Hipp combi Group, an international business conglomerate active in several industries ranging from agriculture to energy production.
• Clemens Techtmeier: Clemens is a German industrial designer and one of the driving forces behind BMW’s current range of luxury cars.
• Felix Techtmeier: Felix is a German theatre director and has been the patron of the Wasteland Festival in Hamburg since 2003.
• Randolph Techtmeier: Randolph is a professional golfer, who has won several tournaments on the European Tour; he was born in Dresden, Germany.
• Leonhard Techtmeier: Leonhard is one of Germany’s foremost neurological scientists. He is credited with several breakthroughs in the field of medical imaging and has recently been awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine.
• Camilla Techtmeier: Camilla is a renowned Austrian jewelry designer, whose work has been featured in several publications, including Vogue magazine.
• Renee Techtmeier: Renee is an American chef and restaurateur; she opened a pizza joint in 2016, which has become one of Brooklyn’s most popular eateries.
• Hugo Techtmeier: Hugo is a Swiss painter and sculptor, whose work has been displayed in the MOMA in New York.
• Franz Techtmeier: Franz is a former Austrian football player, who represented his country in the World Cup in 2006.
• Mathilde Techtmeier: Mathilde is a German painter and video artist; her work has been featured in multiple exhibitions across Europe.

Other surnames

Techtmeyer