Surname Niedermayer - Meaning and Origin
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Niedermayer: What does the surname Niedermayer mean?
The last name Niedermayer is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle High German word for ‘low-man’ or ‘low-merchant’. This suggests that the original bearers of this surname were probably of lower social class but engaged in lucrative trading activities in medieval Germany. It is possible that the original bearers of this surname were small traders or even laborers.
The surname Niedermayer was primarily found in regions of south and southwest Germany, in such states as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It was most commonly used as a patronymic by families living in small villages, where the extended family was more tightly connected than in larger towns. Although the family with the surname Niedermayer might have been more economically successful than their neighbors, their rank in society was likely still a few notches lower on the social ladder.
Today, the surname Niedermayer is still most common in its original homeland in southwest Germany. It is also still used to identify descendants of the original bearers, though the spelling of the surname may have differed slightly as it was passed down through the generations.
Order DNA origin analysisNiedermayer: Where does the name Niedermayer come from?
The last name Niedermayer is commonly found in the German-speaking countries of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. According to Ancestry.com, it is also quite common in the United States. Niedermayer is of Germanic origin and is believed to come from the Middle High German meaning of the word nieder meaning “down”, and meier meaning “farmer”. It was likely an occupational name for someone who worked as a farmer or a rural landowner.
The map from Ancestry.com of the highest concentration of people with the last name Niedermayer is displayed as being concentrated in select areas of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. The U.S. states with a higher population for people with the last name Niedermayer are Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, and California.
It is possible that the name Niedermayer was brought to the United States via German immigrants, especially during the nineteenth century when many were immigrating from the German-speaking countries. Today it is believed that the largest concentrations of Niedermayer are found in Germany and Pennsylvania.
As the twentieth century progressed, so did the population growth of the Niedermayer surname. As it spread across the United States, Niedermayer started to become more common in the states of Ohio, Michigan, California, New York, and Texas, according to Ancestry.com. With so many descendants of the surname in the United States, Niedermayer is now a common last name today.
Variations of the surname Niedermayer
The surname Niedermayer is an old German last name originally derived from the word for “meadow”, Meyr. Spelled in its original German form, the name is spelled Niedermayer and is pronounced “nē-dər-mī-ər”. However, throughout the centuries there have been numerous variants of the name.
In different dialects and languages, the name Niedermayer can be spelled and pronounced variously. In some languages, the spelling can vary slightly, such as Niedermeyer, Niedermeier, Niedermaier, and Niedermeir. Also, due to the spelling differences between German and English, the surname can be seen spelled as Neidamer or Neidemer.
Surnames related to Niedermayer often stem from other Germanic dialects, and spellings within these languages can differ from those of standard German. For example, the surname Nickelmayer is often found in German speakers from Austria. While this name may appear to be spelled differently than Niedermayer, its pronunciation is actually identical to that of Niedermayer.
In America, the surname commonly seen is Niederman or Niedermaier, likely a result of immigration to North America and the counting errors that likely occurred with officials changing the family name during the passage. Sometimes, a family, or one or two of its siblings, may choose (or revert to) a more archetypal spelling.
In summary, variants, spellings, and surnames related to Niedermayer are found in many languages and dialects, including but not limited to Niedermeyer, Niedermeier, Niedermaier, Niedermeir, Neidamer, Neidemer, Nickelmayer, Niederman, and Niedermaier.
Famous people with the name Niedermayer
- Scott Niedermayer: Scott Niedermayer is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. He won four Stanley Cups as a player, and one as an executive.
- Rob Niedermayer: Rob Niedermayer is an NHL centreman who played for three different teams during his 18 year career. He was known for his two way play and was an integral part of the New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup win in 2003.
- Peter Niedermayer: Peter Niedermayer is a retired German professional ice hockey player who played in international competitions such as the Olympic Games and the Ice Hockey World Championships.
- Montana Niedermayer: Montana Niedermayer is the youngest sister of the Niedermayer brothers: Rob, Scott and Peter. She is a figure skater and is a part-time blogger and runs her own lifestyle brand called The Montana Neidermayer Collection.
- John Niedermayer: John Niedermayer was an Austrian military officer and one of the first officers to volunteer for the Austrian Imperial Navy during World War I.
- William Niedermayer: William Niedermayer was one of the most influential German educators of the 19th century.
- Garrett Niedermayer: Garrett is a former professional hockey player, playing five years for the San Jose Sharks of the NHL and four years for the Central Hockey League's Laredo Bucks.
- Dave Niedermayer: Dave is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the AHL's Toronto Marlies and currently serves as the head coach for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League.