Surname Höflmayr - Meaning and Origin
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Höflmayr: What does the surname Höflmayr mean?
The last name Höflmayr is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German words "Hof" (meaning court, estate or manor) and "Meier" (meaning mayor or bailiff ). Historically, it was an occupational surname for the steward or manager of the lord's estate or manor. In some cases, it may have been a nickname for someone who acted as a mayor or bailiff in a particular village.
The current spelling of this surname (Höflmayr) can be found in records from the 16th century. It is most common in the German region of Bavaria, where it is thought to have originated, and is also found in Austria. Outside of Germany, the surname is also found in countries where there is a significant German diaspora, such as the United States, Canada, and South America.
The Höflmayr surname is considered a variant of the surname Höffelmeyer (which has a similar meaning and origin). It is also sometimes spelled Hoeflmair, Hoflmair, Hoeflmayr, Hoflmayr, Hoflemeyer, or Hufflemire.
Order DNA origin analysisHöflmayr: Where does the name Höflmayr come from?
The surname Höflmayr is not particularly common today and is almost exclusively found in Germany and countries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, with the highest concentration being in Austria.
The surname originates within the German-speaking noble family of Höflmayr von Dasing. The earliest mention of the name was written in Dokumentaticon Fuld/Augsburg in 1286, under the variant Housefler. Since then, the name has taken various forms over the centuries, eventually becoming Höflmayr in the 16th Century.
The family is thought to have its origins in the Berchtesgaden Alps of Bavaria, where it was first mentioned in records related to the rule of the nearby Benedictine Abbey at Salzburg in the 10th Century. The Höflmayrs were prominent members of the Bavarian nobility, holding multiple Dignities and posts at court.
Today, the name Höflmayr is largely centred around Austria, with small numbers of the name existing in Germany, Switzerland and Hungary. As with many older noble lineages, its presence in history has slowly decreased over the centuries, with modern records of the name becoming more elusive.
Variations of the surname Höflmayr
The surname Höflmayr is derived from the Old German word huphilamair meaning “noble servant”. It is most commonly found in German-speaking countries, particularly in Austria. Common variants of Höflmayr include Hoeflmayr, Hoefelmayer, Hoefalmayer, Höfelmauer and Hoefelmauer.
In Austria and Bavaria, it is more commonly spelled as Höflmair. The variant Höflmayer is also occasionally found in Germany.
The Czech form of the name is Höflmajer or Hoflmajer, while the Italian form is Höfflmayer or Hoeflmayer. In Holland and Belgium it is usually spelled as Hoflmaeyr or Hoflmaer. The spelling and pronunciation of the name in Switzerland varies greatly; it could be Höflmayr, Hoflmaier, Hofelmacher or even Hoflmajer.
Sur variations of the name include Hoflmayr, Höfflmaier, Höfflmayer, Hofelmair, Gurfelmacher, Hofflemacher, Hoflermair, Hofmaier and Hoffmair. Other surnames of the same origin are Kunzmair, Kuntzmayer, Kuntzmaier, Chuntzmair, Kunzmaier and Kunzmayer.
Regardless of the spelling of the surname, the meaning remains the same – "noble servant".
Famous people with the name Höflmayr
- Robert Höflmayr: German football goalkeeper who spent the majority of his career with Munich 1860, 1860 Rosenheim and Bruck an der Mur
- Andreas Höflmayr: Austrian footballer and current sporting director of LASK Linz
- Wolfgang Höflmayr: former Austrian professional footballer and manager
- Gottfried Höflmayr: Austrian physicist, professor of mathematical physics, and co-inventor of the Heine-Höflmayr viewing principle of electron microscopes
- Thomas Höflmayr: Austrian skiing coach
- Gerhard Höflmayr: award-winning Austrian photographer
- Joseph Höflmayr: Austrian actor and director
- Lorenz Höflmayr: West German sprint athlete
- Georg Höflmayr: Austrian physicist and mathematician, and a professor at Graz University of Technology
- Maria Höflmayr: Austrian painter and sculptor