Surname Lehme - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Lehme: What does the surname Lehme mean?
The last name Lehme is an occupational surname that can be found in a number of European countries, primarily in Germany and Austria. It is derived from the German verb 'lehmen' which means 'to mix up' or 'to blend together', likely referring to a worker who blended or processed various materials such as paint, leather, or cement. The surname is most commonly found in the areas of Hessen, Normandy, and Prussia, which were all occupied by a Germanic presence at some point in their history.
The earliest confirmed record of the Lehme surname dates back to 1547, when a butcher named Christoffer Lehme was recorded living in a small village near the city of Frankfurt. Other records hint at the Lehme surname being used centuries earlier than that, including in official decrees by the Roman Empire in the mid-8th century and a church document from the year 1450.
Today, the Lehme surname remains common around Europe, particularly in Germany where it is believed that there are thousands of people still bearing the name. Despite its German origins, the Lehme surname is also popular in the United States, with a sizable population of Lehmes currently living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.
Order DNA origin analysisLehme: Where does the name Lehme come from?
The surname Lehme is most commonly found in Germany, especially in the states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, and Berlin. Additionally, Lehme is also found in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and parts of Scandinavia. Lehme is also seen in diasporic communities from Germany, such as in the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil, primarily by descendants of German immigrants.
The origin of the name Lehme is unknown, but it is believed to be derived from a place name. Suggested places of origin include Lehm, a small city in Bavaria located near the Bavarian-Czech border, or Lehmkuhlen, a village in North Rhine-Westphalia. The surname Lehme is also believed to be a derivative of the Germanic name, “Lehim.”
In Germany the Lehme surname is seen as having a small but evenly distributed population. The name is mainly a regional phenomenon as it is more commonly found in the towns and states mentioned above.
In the United States, the surname Lehme is most commonly found in the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, and Wisconsin. Many German immigrants arrived in the US in the 19th century, settling in these states, meaning that many of the Lehme families in the US today are descendants of these early settlers. In Canada, Lehme is most commonly found in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
Overall, the surname Lehme is still fairly common today, found primarily in German-descended communities.
Variations of the surname Lehme
The surname Lehme is an occupational surname with German origins. It is derived from the Middle High German word “lehme” which means “costume” or “wardrobe”. This surname was often adopted by people who were tailors, cobblers or furriers.
The variants and spellings of the Lehme surname include Layme, Lehmann, Lehman, Lehm, Lehmme, Lehnmann, Layme, and Lehnemann. These variants may be found in both Germany and the United States, as the surname is very common in these places.
In Germany, the Lehme surname is most commonly found in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. The Lehme surname is also very popular in the United States, with the highest number of people with the surname residing in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Kansas and Florida.
The Lehmann surname was created when people added the suffix “-mann” to the end of their original surname. This surname variant is the most commonly found variant in the United States.
The Lehme surname can also be found in other countries around the world such as Poland, Norway and Sweden. The name is also very common in Jewish communities as well. There are also various spelling errors and variants of the name due to its widespread use and its many different spellings.
Overall, the Lehme surname is a very common surname with German origins, and it is found in many different forms around the world. It is an occupational surname, and its variants often indicate the trades of cobblers, tailors, and furriers.
Famous people with the name Lehme
- Iron & Wine (musician), the stage name of Sam Lehme
- Richard Lehma (actor)
- Sol Lehme (entrepreneur)
- Rubén Lehma (musician)
- Toni Lehme (singer)
- Hermann Lehme (artist)
- Gisela Lehme (journalist)
- Lina Lehme (painter)
- Denis Lehme (pilot)
- Mario Lehme (violinist)
- Anna Lehme (actress)
- Uberle Lehme (DJ)
- Andreas Lehme (writer)
- Allam Lehme (designer)
- Vahab Lehme (musician)
- Lisa Lehme (footballer)
- Carsten Lehme (photographer)
- Georgina Lehme (dancer)
- Mark Lehme (chemist)
- Nils Lehme (botanist)