Surname Lesmeister - Meaning and Origin
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Lesmeister: What does the surname Lesmeister mean?
The last name Lesmeister is of Germanic origin and derives from the Old High German term “slêiroster”, which two distinct translations. The first interpretation is as “least master”, as in the lowest ranking of a lord’s vassals, and the second is “teacher” or “teachers”, denoting an educator.
The surname could have been used for families who held a certain level of social standing, such as a baronial or knightly family; alternatively, it may have been an occupational name for someone whose position of employment was teaching.
The spelling of Lesmeister has varied throughout its history. It was typically associated with the endings “-eister” or “-ister”, with the “sl” becoming increasingly more anglicized over time. The last name has also been recorded as “Leesemester”, “Liss(e)meister”, and “Leim(m)ester”.
Today, the name Lesmeister is predominantly found in German-speaking countries, but can also be encountered in the United States and other countries of the world that have received Germanic immigrants.
Regardless of the exact origin of the surname, it is clear that it denotes a privileged class of individuals, and is one of the oldest surviving family names on German records.
Order DNA origin analysisLesmeister: Where does the name Lesmeister come from?
The last name Lesmeister is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a fairly rare name outside of this region of Europe, as its frequency has only recently spread to other parts of Europe. Lesmeister is a topographic name, derived from a place name where the original bearer of the surname lived. This place was usually a small hill or a hilltop.
The Lesmeister surname is also found in several countries in the United States, including Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. According to the US Census of 2020, this name is most common in Pennsylvania, with an estimated 645 people in the state carrying the Lesmeister surname, followed closely by New York.
Lesmeister is also found in Canada, where it is quite rare, and the United Kingdom. There are a few hundred Lesmeisters in the US, and some in the UK as well. The Lesmeister surname is not as common in other parts of the world, but it is possible to find it in almost any country.
In conclusion, the last name Lesmeister is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but can also be found in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In all these countries, the surname is quite rare, but can still be found among the population.
Variations of the surname Lesmeister
The surname Lesmeister is an occupational surname of German origin. It is derived from the German word ‘lehmester’, which means ‘foreman’ or ‘master’. It is also sometimes spelled as Lehmester, Lehmister, Lemsister, Lemsmeister, or Lemester.
Variant spellings and surnames of the same origin exist in other Germanic languages, including Dutch and Scandinavian languages. For example, in Dutch, Lesmeister is also known as Lemmiker, Lemster, or Lemmter. In Scandinavian languages, it is found as Lahmester, Lemester, Lemister, and Lehmester.
Other variants of the surname Lesmeister include Lemsmeyer, Lemsmayer, Lemsmeier, Lemsmyer, Leymeister, Leimstetter, Leimster, and Leimsterling. Some spellings have been Anglicised, such as Lemaster and Lemister.
The surname Lesmeister is found throughout Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and other German-speaking countries in Central Europe. It is also found in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, where it was adopted by immigrants from Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. In parts of England, the name is found as Lemster.
There are also some locations in the United States that are named after the Lesmeister surname, such as the Lesmeister neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri and the Lesmeister Ranch in Montana.
Famous people with the name Lesmeister
- Erich Lesmeister (born 1964), German journalist and writer
- Hans Lesmeister (1922-1988), German architect
- Adalbert Lesmeister (1909-1986), German painter
- Joseph Lesmeister (1856-1941), American painter
- Friedrich Lesmeister (1810-1860), German composer
- Andreas Lesmeister (born 1988), Austrian skier
- Joseph Lesmeister (1917-1989), American politician
- Hans Lesmeister (1884-1953), German sculptor
- Johann Lesmeister (born 1961), Swiss politician
- Frank Lesmeister (born 1961), German physician