Surname Westermeyer - Meaning and Origin

Westermeyer: What does the surname Westermeyer mean?

The surname Westermeyer is an old German name of the Middle Ages, derived from the words “wester” meaning west and “meier” referring to a steward or mayor. The name likely originated in the area known as Germany and is still commonly found in Germany and Austria.

These surnames were usually assigned to someone who lived in the west area or had some type of authority over that region. Therefore, Westermeyer could mean the steward of the western region or the mayor of the town in the west.

In some cases, Westermeyer families may have been nobles who owned estates or have been head of the village. This may have also been an occupational surname assigned to those who tended vineyards or orchards, due to the abundance of such trees and plants in the west.

Examples of alternate spellings, which are often found in family genealogies, include Westenmeyer and Westemeier, among many others. Due to the complexity of the surname’s meaning, people with the name Westermeyer may come from diverse backgrounds and lineages.

Westermeyer: Where does the name Westermeyer come from?

The last name Westermeyer is most commonly found in Germany today. The name originated in North Germany and spread to other regions of the country by the end of the 1800s.

According to Germany Phone Directories, the name Westermeyer ranks in the 304th position in terms of the most common last names in the country. The surname is more widely spread out in certain regions of the country. For example, it ranks in the 70th position in the state of Brandenburg and in the 113th position in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The name Westermeyer is also found at lower frequencies in countries surrounding Germany. In Austria, the name ranks in the processing at around 777th place. In the Netherlands, the name ranks in the 425th place. And in Switzerland, the name ranks in the 689th position in terms of prevalence.

Beyond Europe, the surname Westermeyer can be found in places such as the United States and Canada. While the name is not as common in North America as it is in Germany, research shows its presence in a number of cities and states, including Ohio, California, Texas, and New York.

In short, the last name Westermeyer is strongly associated with Germany. It is the country in which it is most frequently found; however, with the increase of German emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, the name is slowly spreading to other places around the globe.

Variations of the surname Westermeyer

The surname Westermeyer has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, all of which share the root "Wester-".

One variant of the surname is Westermaier. It is a German spelling derived from Westermeyer and is a combination of the words "Wester" meaning west, and "maier/meyer" meaning mayor or master.

Another spelling is Westermer. This is an English-language spelling derived from Westermeyer and comes from a combination of "Wester" meaning west and "mer" meaning lake.

Westermann (or Westerman) is a variant of Westermeyer which is also from a combination of "Wester" and "mann" meaning man or male.

The surname Westermeyer is a Low German-language combination of "Wester" meaning west and "meyer" meaning mayor or master. It can also be spelled Westermeier, Westermeijer, or Westermeijer.

Finally, Westermeyer is also related to the surnames Van Westermeer and Westermeir, which are Dutch and Dutch-language spellings of the same name.

All of these surnames, despite having different spellings, share the same root of "Wester" meaning west, and can be traced back to the same origin.

Famous people with the name Westermeyer

• Gustav C. Westermeyer III: Business executive, president of Tower Automotive Latin America and executive vice president of Tower Automotive.
• Gary A. Westermeyer: Former Illinois wholesaler and former Baxter County Magistrate Judge.
• Adam F. Westermeyer: Professional classical musician and pedagogue.
• Richard V. Westermeyer: Controversial priest and theologian.
• John A. Westermeyer: Physician, research professor, and health services professor at the University of Minnesota.
• Joshua L. Westermeyer: Operatic tenor from the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
• David Westermeyer: Professional marathon runner.
• Eric Westermeyer: Lead guitarist of the punk rock band Vacant Friends.
• Lorraine Westermeyer: Emmy-award winning costume designer and television producer.
• Steven D. Westermeyer: Professional marketing and communications consultant.
• Linda Westermeyer: Award-winning children's book author.
• Louis Westermeyer: Former professor of economics and business at Marist College.
• Christopher Westermeyer: Award-winning veterinarian and field researcher.
• Victor Westermeyer: Former two-term mayor of the City of Waretown.
• Linda K. Westermeyer: Professional interior designer and principal at Westermeyer Interiors.

Other surnames

WestermeierWestermeirWestermeyr