Surname Leier - Meaning and Origin
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Leier: What does the surname Leier mean?
The last name of Leier is an occupational surname originating from Old High German. Its root is "Leiter," which means “ladder” or “rung of a ladder.” In some dialects, the root also means a longer, taller ladder, making it applicable to the surname.
The name likely originates from the Middle Ages, when manors and castles were built and maintained on tall towers or rungs of ladders. People in the same profession, such as carpenters, masons, and builders, who organized and constructed these buildings were known as "Leiers." This group of people eventually adopted this surnames and passed it on for generations until today.
The surname Leier can also be found among other regions, such as the Netherlands, France, and Switzerland. It is particularly common among citizens in southern Germany. In the United States, the Leier surname was most common among Pennsylvania German immigrants, who used the last name primarily for occupational reasons, such as blacksmiths, paper makers, etc.
Today, people with the last name Leier can be found in many other countries due to the high rate of international migration that has taken place in the past century.
Order DNA origin analysisLeier: Where does the name Leier come from?
The last name Leier is most common today in Germany, with small concentrations in other countries such as Belgium, Austria, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark.
In Germany, Leier is the 1,825th most common family name and is primarily found in the Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg regions. In the Bavaria region, the name Leier is concentrated in the Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Upper Franconia, Swabia and Middle Franconia regions, typically in the south of the country. In Baden-Württemberg, the name is most common in the southern districts near the border with Bavaria, such as Freiburg im Breisgau, Schwarzwald-Baar and Rhein-Neckar.
In Belgium, the last name is found mostly in the cities of Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp, the Flemish provinces of Antwerp and East Flanders and the Walloon provinces of Hainaut and Liège. In Austria, the name is found in Vienna, Lower Austria and Styria.
In France, the name is mostly concentrated in the east of the country in Alsace and Lorraine, as well as in the Paris region. In Switzerland, it is found in the French-speaking parts of the country, especially in the canton of Vaud. In Sweden, it is most commonly found in the provinces of Västerbotten and Norrbotten, and in the capital city of Stockholm. In Denmark, the name is found mostly in Copenhagen and its surrounding area.
Variations of the surname Leier
The surname Leier is of German origin and is derived from the German word "leier" which refers to someone who played the lute or zither. Variants of the surname include Lier, Lyer, Lierle, Lire, Laijer, Leijer and Leijers.
Spelling variations of Leier include Layr, Leier, Lier, Leher, Leyher, Lyer, Layher, Leyer and Laier. Surnames related to Leier include Liermann, Lierle, Lierman, Liers, Liersche and Liersch.
In English records, the names Leier, Leyher, Leher, Lier, and Liair are the occupations of a stringed-instrument musician. Another spelling variation, Laier, may have derived from the German word "Laier" which refers to a player of a Lauten or German mandolin.
The surname Leier may also have derived from the German word "leier," meaning delta, which is a river channel or an alluvial fan created by accumulated sediment deposits.
Leier and its variants are found in various regions of Germany today. It is also found in several other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
Famous people with the name Leier
- Laura Leier: an American multidisciplinary artist and curator
- Meleah Leier: a Canadian professional soccer player
- Shannon Leier: an American professional golf player
- Amy Leier: an American actress
- Robert Leier: an Austrian visual artist
- Brad Leier: an American volleyball player
- Lisa Leier: an American professional tennis player
- Martin Leier: a German footballer
- Thomas Leier: an Austrian politician
- Elsa Leier: a Czech-Austrian sculptor