Surname Hövelmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Hövelmeier: What does the surname Hövelmeier mean?
The last name Hövelmeier is of northern German origin, derived from the Middle High German words ‘hovel’ and ‘meier’ which both mean ‘mayor’. This suggests that the surname was originally an occupational hereditary name used for people who held the office of mayor or magistrate. It is also believed that this surname was derived from the personal name Hovel or Hubold and was also used to refer to those who ran or lived in a kind of inn known as a ‘Hövel’.
‘Meier’ on the other hand, refers to a farmer and tends to originally used for people from the lower classes of society. They were free men who held their own small plots of land which was typically on the ‘lord of the manor’s land and were known as ‘Meier’ or ‘Mayors’ as they were the ones responsible for supervising the crop rotation, managing the herds, and making sure the ‘manorial rights’ were respected.
Therefore, the surname Hövelmeier connotes a person of authority, who was knowledgeable in farming practices and responsible for maintaining the rights of the manor. In the modern times, it is a popular last name and has several variants such as Heubelmeier, Hofelmair, and Hovelmaier that are found in many countries around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHövelmeier: Where does the name Hövelmeier come from?
Hövelmeier is a German surname, most commonly found in Germany. According to Ancestry, it is most commonly associated with the region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Some have also been found in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, and Lower Saxony as well.
In addition to Germany, Hövelmeier is a common surname in Belgium, particularly the provinces of East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, and Antwerp.
Across the globe, Hövelmeier is also found in the United States, particularly in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. The name is also found in Australia and Canada.
When looking at the origins of the name, it can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Germany, where it was an occupational name for a landlord or an owner of a local inn.
The meaning of Hövelmeier, when translated, is "landlord" and "innkeeper". It is derived from the old German word "hovel", which means a hospitable and welcoming home.
Hövelmeier is a relatively uncommon name today, particularly outside of Germany and its surrounding countries, but as it is a traditional German surname, it is not uncommon to find individuals with the name in countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Hövelmeier
The surname Hövelmeier is of Germanic origins and dates back to at least the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle Low German Hövel, which means ‘hill’ or ‘mound’. The suffix Meier is derived from the Middle Low German meier, which means ‘lord/lord of the manor’. So, the literal meaning of Hövelmeier is ‘lord of/from the mound’.
The variants and other spellings of this surname are Hovelmeier, Hoovelmeier, Hoelmeier, Huvelmeier, Hovelmaier, Hoovelmaier, Hoelmaier, Huvelmaier, Hevelmeier, Hevelmaier, and Hevelmeyer. Depending upon the dialect and the regional boundaries, the spellings of this surname might vary slightly.
Some of the variants of this surname are used interchangeably with other sorts of surnames, such as Hövels, Hövelts, Hövelze, Hüvels, Hüvelze, Hüvelts, and Hüvelmeyers. These surnames may also appear with various other combinations of other prefixes, such as De and van, for example, DeHoevelt, vanHovels, and DeHovels.
There are various other Germanic surnames of the same origin, such as Hoellermeier, Hoellermaier, Huollmeier, Hoollmeier, Hoellmaier, Huollmaier, Hoellmeyer, and Hoellmeier. These surnames usually arise as a result of the different dialects spoken in the regions around Germany.
There is also a variant of the Hövelmeier surname which has been adopted by immigrants to the United States, such as Hovelman, Hoelman, Huvelman, and Hoelman.
Famous people with the name Hövelmeier
- Richard Hövelmeier: German sporting director and former footballer
- Johann Philipp Hövelmeier: German Jesuit dramatist and poet
- Jacobus Hövelmeier: German publisher and bookseller
- Hans Joachim Hövelmeier: German professor of neurology
- Vera Hövelmeier: German public prosecutor
- Carsten Hövelmeier: German football player
- Henrik Hövelmeier: German jazz drummer 8.try
- Harry Hövelmeier: German professional cyclist
- Uwe Hövelmeier: German actor and musician