Surname Büchelmaier - Meaning and Origin
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Büchelmaier: What does the surname Büchelmaier mean?
The last name Büchelmaier is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German Büchelmaire. It was a name given to a cooper in charge of the care of wine barrels, commonly referred to as a “barrelmaker.” Over time, it evolved into a surname.
The name is found in many parts of Europe, most notably Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There are estimated to be around 1,500 people in Germany alone with the family name of Büchelmaier. In the United Kingdom there are only a small handful of people with this surname, and it is unknown whether they are related directly to the German Büchelmaiers, or whether they have only adopted the surname.
Büchelmaiers have a long history in Germany, as the surname was first recorded in the 13th century with a man called Henricus Birchemaiher, a historian from Stuttgart. Later, Heinrich Büchelmaier of Ulm can be traced back to 16th-century records, and in the 17th century, Johann Jakob Büchelmaier appears in Swabian church records. By the 18th century, family histories are abundant.
Due to the considerable age of the surname, researching family histories can be a challenging endeavor. Fortunately, The Association of German Surnames, which was created in 2009, uses their resources to evaluate family histories and provide information on those who carry the name of Büchelmaier today.
Order DNA origin analysisBüchelmaier: Where does the name Büchelmaier come from?
The last name Büchelmaier is most common today in German-speaking countries. According to the Census Bureau's 2019 Statistical Abstract, Büchelmaier is the 850th most common surname in Germany. It is also common in Austria, Switzerland and other German-speaking regions of Europe.
The exact origin of the Büchelmaier surname is uncertain. However, it appears to be derived from the German elements “bühel” and “maier”, which can be translated to mean “hunter” and “mayor” respectively. Therefore, it is possible that it originally referred to a mayor or magistrate who served as a hunter.
Büchelmaier is also a regional surname, most notably found in the northern state of Lower Saxony. This is due to its proximity to Hannover, where the largest population of Büchelmaiers reside.
Büchelmaier is also among the most common surnames in Bavaria and Thuringia, as well as in parts of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. This shows that the Büchelmaier surname has been preserved through immigration and intermarriage between different regional and national populations over the centuries.
In the United States, Büchelmaier is a less common surname. However, there is a sizeable population of Büchelmaiers in the Midwest United States. It is also present in Canada, especially in Montreal, Quebec.
Variations of the surname Büchelmaier
The surname Büchelmaier descends from a German patronymic meaning “son of Büchele”, a diminutive of the given name Büchel. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Bichelmaier, Buechelmaier, Boechelmaier, Buechelmeyer, Buetlermair, Buehlmaier, and Büchlermayer.
The variations of the name are interlinked through spelling changes that have taken place over time and through certain Germanic phonetic changes. In some cases, the changes reflect more specific regional nuances. For instance, a Southern German variant of the name is often spelled Büchelmayer, whereas the Northern German variant is usually spelled Büchlermayer. With one sound change this can become Boechlermayer, and with two, it can become Boechelmaier.
In addition, many variations developed through typical New World adaptations to fit English spellings. This includes Buechelmaier and Buechelmeyer; these are just a few of the spellings used in the United States and Canada. In some cases, the spelling of the surname changed completely, resulting in surnames such as Bichelmaier or Buetlermair.
In short, the surname Büchelmaier is closely related to a multitude of alternative spellings and surnames throughout Germany, the United States, and Canada. In a few cases, the surname has changed completely, but in many others, the variations can be traced to spelling or regional phonetic changes or adaptations to fit English-based spellings.
Famous people with the name Büchelmaier
- Sabrina Büchelmaier, German-Austrian singer-songwriter
- Lorenz Büchelmaier, Swiss footballer
- Stefan Büchelmaier, Luxembourger former footballer
- Pierre Büchelmaier, Swiss former footballer and manager
- Marco Büchelmaier, Swiss footballer
- Albert Büchelmaier, Austrian former footballer
- Dieter Büchelmaier, Austrian former footballer
- Alex Büchelmaier, Austrian former footballer
- Gregor Büchelmaier, Austrian former swimmer
- Christian Büchelmaier, Swiss road bicycle racer
- Iffi Büchelmaier, Austrian footballer
- Sepp Büchelmaier, Austrian former athlete and ski jumping coach
- Prosper Büchelmaier, Luxembourger former politician
- Michael Büchelmaier, Austrian judoka
- Hans Büchelmaier, Austrian former footballer
- Günter Büchelmaier, Austrian former Ice Hockey Player
- Claudia Büchelmaier, German former swimmer
- Wolfgang Büchelmaier, Austrian former Ice Hockey Player
- Vanessa Büchelmaier, Austrian field hockey player
- Karl Büchelmaier, Austrian former alpine skier