Surname Ottomeyer - Meaning and Origin
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Ottomeyer: What does the surname Ottomeyer mean?
The last name Ottomeyer is of German origin and was originally spelled “Otto Meyer”. It is derived from the German personal name Ottó, meaning “wealthy” or “powerful”, combined with the element meijer, meaning “warehouse-keeper”. Taken together, the name literally translates to “wealthy warehouse-keeper”, though it can also be interpreted to have the meaning “wealthy store master”.
The given name Otto is an ancient Germanic and Old Norse name meaning “wealth” or “fortune”, which was popularized in Germany by the medieval Germanic king of the Franks, Charles the Great. The Old High German term meijer refers to an attendant or storekeeper of a central storage warehouse, and eventually came to signify someone who was responsible for overseeing and managing storehouses, as well as the products and goods held in them. This could refer to an actual trade position or a position of privilege and authority held within a castle or manor in medieval Europe.
The compound surname Ottomeyer, then, is likely to have originally been used to denote someone of a high social rank or economic standing who was responsible for managing a storehouse or warehouse. The surname thus signifies a person of wealth, authority, and responsibility, traits which would have been highly regarded in Medieval German society.
Order DNA origin analysisOttomeyer: Where does the name Ottomeyer come from?
The last name Ottomeyer is most common in Germany today. According to the WorldNames PublicProfiler data, it is particularly concentrated in the states of Bavaria, Thuringia, and Saxony. It is also quite prevalent in certain parts of Czech Republic and Poland with a sizable population in some of these areas, especially near the German border.
Most of the people sharing the last name Ottomeyer probably descend from a single ancestor who lived centuries ago. The surname today could be harkening back to many different ancestral lines, as it is a common German occupational surname meaning “maker of otter pelts.”
Though it is still much more common in Germany than in most other places, the last name can be found throughout Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Interestingly, this frequencies of this surname in the United States and Canada appear to much higher than the global average. This could be attributed to many German immigrants coming to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Overall, Ottomeyer is still a relatively rare last name, particularly outside of Germany. However, due to centuries of cultural contact between countries, there are still plenty of people living today who proudly bear the name, keeping a beloved ancestral legacy alive.
Variations of the surname Ottomeyer
The surname Ottomeyer has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Altmejer, Atmejer, Uttemeijer, Ottemeyer, Altmeiere, Ottemeyere, Otto Meyer, and Otemeer.
Altmejer is the most common spelling of the surname Ottomeyer and originates from the Germanic language. The literal translation from Old High German words is "alt" meaning old, and "meiger" which is translated as mayor in English. This would mean the surname means someone in a position of authority, especially in a small town.
Atmejer is a more modern spelling of the surname but still has Dutch origins and is derived from the Old High German words Alt and Meiger. Utteemeijer is a variant originating from the Dutch language and is derived from the words "utte" meaning border or edge and "meijer" meaning mayor.
Ottemeyer is another variant of the surname, originating from the words "ott" meaning pride and "mejer" meaning mayor. This is also derived from the Old High German language. Another variant is Altmeiere which is translated from the words "alt" meaning old and "meiere" meaning highest authority or master.
Ottemeyere, Otto Meyer, and Otemeer are also variant spellings of the surname Ottomeyer. Ottemeyere is derived from the words "ott" meaning pride and "meyere" meaning mayor. Otto Meyer is derived from the Germanic language and is a contraction of the words "ott" meaning pride and "mayer" meaning mayor. Otemeer is derived from the words "ott" meaning pride and "meer" meaning border.
Famous people with the name Ottomeyer
- Fritz Ottomeyer: German architect and sculptor who specialized in stained glass.
- Jochen Ottomeyer: German writer and artist who wrote several works of poetry and art theory.
- Kerstin Ottomeyer: German swimmer who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.
- Karen Ottomeyer: American actress who has starred in various television and feature films.
- Rudolf Ottomeyer: German-American photographer who gained notoriety in the 1960s.
- Michel Ottomeyer: French-born Italian painter whose works were part of the 18th-century Neoclassical movement.
- Andreas Ottomeyer: German ballet dancer who is a principal dancer with the Nuremberg Opera Ballet.
- Carl Ottomeyer: German sculptor and medalist whose most famous works include the 1896 Panathenaic Amphora.
- Ludwig Ottomeyer: German tapestry manufacturer from Dresden who was awarded a medal at the 1874 World’s Fair in Vienna.
- Wolfgang Ottomeyer: German photographer and author who wrote several books about the history of photography.