Surname Wintermeir - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wintermeir: What does the surname Wintermeir mean?
The surname Wintermeir originates from Germany and is derived from the word "Winter", which translates to winter or wintertime in English. It is a fairly common German surname, and it likely emerged in the Middle Ages. Initially, it was most likely associated with families who remained in their hometowns during the winter months and whose livelihoods looked to the land to survive the cold months. The suffix “meier” is derived from the Old German word “meige” which means “steward” or “guardian”. In ancient Germany, such people held prominent landed positions and were tasked with overseeing the distribution of grain, a role that was taken very seriously. The status associated with the title at the time probably led to the adoption of “meier” as part of the surname. Working together, Wintermeir can be translated to mean “winter guardian” or “winter steward”, and is perhaps indicative of the family’s traditions of stewardship and responsibility. Today, those who bear the Wintermeir surname likely carry on these traditions, passing on qualities of care and compassion to future generations.
Order DNA origin analysisWintermeir: Where does the name Wintermeir come from?
The last name Wintermeir is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, and some parts of Switzerland. It is not as popular in other parts of the world, but there has been a spreading of the name over the past several centuries as people have moved around and immigrated to new locations.
The earliest known use of the name dates back to 1873 in Germany, when the birth of a child named Karl Wintermeir was recorded in the church book of Wiesbach, Saarland. Since then, it has been most predominantly spread throughout the German-speaking countries, with an unknown number of Wintermeirs now living in these regions.
In recent years, as people from this area have moved to other countries, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, there has been an increase in the quantity of people bearing this last name living in those countries as well.
Additionally, there can be other spellings of the name, such as Wyntemeir or Wintemeir, depending on the dialect from which it has derived. If you are looking for people with this last name now, likely the best place to start is by searching in the countries of German and Austria, as well as their various provinces and regions.
Variations of the surname Wintermeir
Wintermeir is a surname of German origin, and variants of this surname can be found across the world. Common alternate spellings include Wintermeyer, Wyntermayr, Wintermaier, Wintermayr and Wintermeiere. In some places, the surname has become anglicised and can be seen spelled as Wintersmeyer, Widener, Wytenmyer, Wattersmieer or Wettenmyer.
In general, the spelling variations of Wintermeir are created by the substitution or addition of one particular letter or syllable. There is also a variant of the name spelled as Vintermayer with the usage of a 'V' instead of the 'W'. Slight spelling variations of the name can occur due to the translation to English or other languages, and accent or dialectual differences.
Surnames that are derived from Wintermeir include Wintmeyer, Wintmer, Vinter, Vintmier, Vintmer, Wyntermier, Wintemeyer, Wintemyer, Wintemier, Wintermüller, Vintemeyer, Wyntermuller and Vintmeier. More unusual variants may include Vontmeir, Vantmeir, Wintmeir, Wentmeir, Wenvestmeier, Wensmayer or Winter Marsh.
Overall, Wintermeir has several alternate spellings, and similar surnames. All of these surnames are derived from the same origin and bear a great similarity.
Famous people with the name Wintermeir
- Andrew Wintermeier: A former Major League Baseball Player
- Kurt Wintermeier: An American professional ice hockey player
- Art Wintermeir: An American football player
- John Wintermeir: An Australian rower
- Bill Wintermeir: A former Member of Parliament for the Canadian Reform Party
- Hubert Wintermeir: A Swiss historian
- Ellen Wintermeir: A prominent figure in the German women's suffrage movement
- Mia Wintermeir: A Swiss curler
- F.X. Wintermeir: An Austrian professor and astronomer
- Bernhard Wintermeir: A German footballer