Surname Hindermeyer - Meaning and Origin

Hindermeyer: What does the surname Hindermeyer mean?

The last name Hindermeyer is of German origin and is derived from the given name Hindric or Hindrich. Both of these names are a combination of two Germanic elements: hind, meaning “brave” or “lively”, and ric, meaning “power” or “ruler”. The first recorded use of this surname was in the 16th century in the former German state of Hessen-Nassau.

The common modern German surname Hindermeyer is derived from this older given name, meaning “power of the brave” or “rule of the lively”. It is thought to have been applied to a powerful or successful ancestor of the family, or to a leader of a local community.

Hindermeyer is a fairly unique family name - less than 0.1% of Americans share it. Its holders may find themselves proud of its distinguished history, and be reassured that their remarkable last name is a sign of a strong and respected lineage.

Hindermeyer: Where does the name Hindermeyer come from?

The last name Hindermeyer is mostly concentrated in central and eastern Europe, particularly in Germany and Poland. It likely originated as a German-language name in Germany, and spread beyond those countries through migration over the years. Today, immigrants from these countries have spread the name further across the world, with records of the name in the United States and Canada.

The name Hindermeyer is still fairly common in Germany, with records stretching back to medieval times. People bearing the name were prominent farmers and bakers in Saxony in the 16th century, and in the 1650s a Jakob Hindermeyer is mentioned in court records.

Subsequent generations, however, often shortened the name to "Meyer" as the surname is also quite common in Germany. As such, while records of Hindermeyers exist, the version of the name with two syllables may not be as common today as it once was. In the United States, the name often appears as "Henderson," and in Poland as "Henzynek."

Throughout its history, the name Hindermeyer has remained a staple of German-language naming conventions, and can still be found in Germany and many other parts of the world. Despite the changes in the spelling of the name, the name itself retains its original meaning: a kind of meadows.

Variations of the surname Hindermeyer

The surname Hindermeyer may also be spelled as Hindermayer, Hindemayer, Hindermaier, Hindermann, Hintermeyer, Hintermayr, Hintermair, Hintermann, and Heintzemeyer.

Hindermeyer is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word hindirmaere, which can be translated to mean “from Hinderland” or “from behind the hill”. It is believed that the birthplace of the name's bearer was behind a mountain, hill, or other elevation.

Variants of the surname Hindermeyer often times incorporate spelling with a “z” in place of the “d” such as in the case of Heintzemeyer. This is a common variation particularly in Central Europe.

The surname is found throughout the German-speaking world, and is particularly common in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and even parts of eastern Europe. Additionally, German emigrants who settled in the United States and Canada also often used the surname; therefore, there are many bearers of the surname Hindermeyer across America and Canada as well.

In some cases, the surname may have altered over time due to different spellings that were used as families moved to different countries and adapted to new languages. However, all of thedifferent spellings of the surname still have the same origin and can trace back to the Middle High German word hindirmaere.

Famous people with the name Hindermeyer

• Jan Hindermeyer, German-American author and illustrator
• Günther Hindermeyer, prominent German lawyer
• Waltraud Hindermeyer, German professor of ophthalmology and optometry
• Olaf Hindermeyer, German professor of health care research
• Elisabeth Hindermeyer, German artist specializing in printmaking
• Max Hindermeyer, German-Canadian film composer
• Johannes Hindermeyer, German composer and arranger
• Jürgen Hindermeyer, German pastor and author
• Hans Joachim Hindermeyer, German geographer
• Syld Hindermeyer, French artist, performer, and fashion designer

Other surnames

Hindermeier