Surname Obermayer - Meaning and Origin

Obermayer: What does the surname Obermayer mean?

The last name Obermayer is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German words "ober" and "mair," meaning "upper mayor" or "overseer." This is suggestive of the name originally belonging to someone who was in charge of administrating a village or town. It was likely first used as a nickname and then, over time, passed down through generations until it became a surname.

In Jewish culture Obermayer is a variation of the original surname "Obermeier." This variation is sometimes used by descendants of a German Jewish family that moved to the U.S. in the late 19th century. The original variants of the name in Germany are thought to date as far back as the 15th century, with the earliest documented instance found in a German town register from the year 1404.

The contemporary spelling Obermayer is mainly found in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Hesse in Germany. The origin of the name has led to various interpretations, with some sources suggesting it refers to someone’s ability to manage or govern a town or village while others suggest it was originally used to reference someone who lived near a water tower or stream.

The name Obermayer is still prevalent in the modern era, with various families and descendants of the original Obermayer carrying on the name through the generations. It can also be found as a surname in countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, as families from the region have migrated to different countries over time.

Obermayer: Where does the name Obermayer come from?

The last name Obermayer is most commonly found among the Ashkenazi Jewish population in Central and Eastern Europe, and particularly in the countries that comprised the former Austro-Hungarian empire, such as Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The name is thought to be of occupational origin, as many Jewish families in the region had unique last names that were based on the type of occupation they had.

The prevalence of the name Obermayer has since dwindled in the region due to the mass emigration of Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As Jews dispersed to places such as the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Israel, the Obermayer surname spread to these areas as well. By the 1950s, the United States had become the top country where the surname was most commonly found.

Today, the name Obermayer is still present across Europe and the United States, although with fewer people carrying it than before. Poland, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States are the countries that are home to the most people with the name Obermayer today. While the surname has continued to grow outside of its European roots, primarily due to intermarriage and other migrations, it is not as widespread as it once was.

Variations of the surname Obermayer

The surname Obermayer is a German name meaning upper and/or higher masonry, with the roots of the name deriving from Old High German, translating to mauer meaning wall and ober meaning upper/above. The variations of this surname can include its pluralized form, Obermayers, or the abbreviated form, Obermayer. It may also be seen spelled Obermair, Obergmair, Obertmayer, Obermair, Ubertmair, Ortmeyer, Ubertmair, and Ubertmayr.

For those eager to find out more of their ancestral roots, this surname could also take different vowels or spelling nuances depending on the Germanic dialect of the area from which it derived. These variations include Obertmüller, Ubertmueller, Ortmiller, Ortmeyer, Ubertmell, and Ubertmill.

When emigrating from Germany to the United States, this surname may have changed in a variety of ways, as many immigrants chose to simplify the spelling of their name or pick a name they perceived to be more “American” sounding. Variations of this name that could be seen in the United States include Obermeyer, Upperman, Uppermann, Uppermane, and Uppman, among others.

The shorter surname form of Obermayer has also been seen as Meye, Meier, Meyer/Maier/Mayr, Oey, and Oertel. Other variants of the name may include forms such as Mair/Mayr, Mariaer, Mere, Meir, and Moyer.

Therefore, the surname Obermayer has many variants which are often seen in changing locations and times. However, regardless of the spelling or variation, this surname is derived from the German language's upper masonry.

Famous people with the name Obermayer

• Erwin Obermayer: Austrian water polo player and coach
• Johannes Obermayer: Austrian swimmer and Olympic medallist
• Hugo Obermayer: German sculptor and medalist
• Julius Obermayer: German biologist, philosopher and early pioneer in the field of evolutionary biology
• Harris Obermayer: American attorney and philanthropist
• Joe Obermayer: Austrian professional ice hockey player
• Johann Obermayer: Austrian zoologist and entomologist
• Georg Obermayer: Austrian-born Australian Catholic priest and orginal missioner for the Archdiocese of Melbourne
• Halina Obermayer: Polish-English sculptor and painter
• Otto Obermayer: Austrian painter and art professor

Other surnames

Obermayr