Surname Uhlemeier - Meaning and Origin
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Uhlemeier: What does the surname Uhlemeier mean?
The surname Uhlemeier is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It was typically used as an occupational name for a henchman, essentially a guard or soldier, and it is thought to have been derived from the Middle High German word “uhlmeule” which literally translates to “owl molen”, and is understood to describe someone who had a tactical eye. The word “molen” also likely gave birth to the word “militia”, which is used to describe a group of citizens with military training.
The name Uhlemeier is often found in Germanic and central European countries such as Germany, Austria, and Poland. Subsequently, many immigrants from these areas bringing the name with them to other countries as they migrated, such as the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The most recent Uhlemeiers to populate the United States likely worked as guards, soldiers and militia come the time of the Civil War. There is reason to believe that Uhlemeiers may have even been eager fighters in the possibly having sided with the North.
Regardless, the name is still found throughout the United States today, despite a lack of evidence to imply a cohesive community larger than an extended family. Despite its more common presence elsewhere, the name Uhlemeier is not likely to disappear unless recent generations choose to do so.
Order DNA origin analysisUhlemeier: Where does the name Uhlemeier come from?
The last name Uhlemeier is most commonly found in Germany. It is a German last name that was originally an occupational name which was derived from the Middle High German word uhel, meaning “farmer”. It is believed to have first originated in northern Germany, although records of this name have been found in Germany as far back as the early 1300s.
Today, the surname Uhlemeier can still be found in the German states of Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, and Brandenburg. It is also popular within the German diaspora, particularly within the United States.
Within Germany, Uhlemeier is still among the top 5% most common surnames, although this depends on the region. As of 2019, it was the 563rd most commonly used surname in Germany, with an estimated 16,000 people bearing this surname.
In the United States, the surname Uhlemeier is fairly uncommon and is estimated to have only around 4,300 people with this name. It is most commonly found among German-Americans in the Midwest and Pennsylvania.
Overall, the last name Uhlemeier is a surname that is mostly localized to Germany and its diasporic communities. While still quite common within Germany, it is far less common among German-Americans in the United States.
Variations of the surname Uhlemeier
The surname Uhlemeier is a German patronymic surname which originated in West and East Prussia. It derives from the male given name 'Uhle', which is derived from the German word for owl, also spelled 'Uhu'. The surname Uhlemeier is an anglicised version of the name 'Uhlemeijer', which itself is derived from the Dutch word for miller or one who operates a mill, 'meijer'.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Uhlemeier include the following.
The variants are: Uhlmeier, Uhlemayer, Uhlmayer, Uhlmeyer, Uhlmaier, Uhlmair, Uhlemer.
The spellings are: Ahlemeijer, Ahlemeier, Ahlmaier, Ahlmeier, Uelemeier, Uhlmeier, Uhlmeijer and Uhleinier.
The surnames of the same origin include the following: Ahlemeyer, Ahlemeier, Ahlmaier, Ahlmeier, Ahlmeyer, Heylmeier, Uelemeier, Uhlmeier, Uhlmeyer, Uhlmaier and Uhlmair.
In addition to these variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, other variants may be found in various regions and countries due to the migration of the Uhlemeier surname. The variations may include changes to the spelling, such as Uhler, Uhlar, Uhlaras, Uhlarsen, Uhlrich, Uhlros and other variations.
Famous people with the name Uhlemeier
- Arnold Uhlemeier (1908–1959), German politician, member of the German Bundestag 1949-1953
- Ivan Uhlemeier (1876–1959), Russian artist associated with primitivism
- Lawrence Uhlemeier (born 1974), American former competitive ice hockey player
- Rudolf Uhlemeier (1885–1951), German economist
- Harry Uhlemeier (1875–1942), American filmmaker of the silent era
- Alexander Uhlemeier (born 1981), German football player
- Peter Uhlemeier (1901–1978), German sculptor
- Adam Uhlemeier (1884-1960), German-American winegrower and businessman
- Bob Uhlemeier (1917–2007), American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Jenifer Uhlemeier (born 1956), Canadian former alpine ski racer in the 1970s