Surname Plechschmidt - Meaning and Origin
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Plechschmidt: What does the surname Plechschmidt mean?
The last name Plechschmidt is of German origin and would have been an occupational name for a person who worked as a metal smith (from "Platte" which is German for sheet/plate and "Schmidt" which is a variation of the name Smith). The plechschmidt surname likely started to be used sometime around the mid 1400's in Germany when people started to take on hereditary last names.
The Plechschmidts were most likely a well-respected and hard-working family in their local community and had a trade that was in high need. Metal working was an extremely practical skill in the European Middle Ages and the Plechschmidts were likely on the forefront of new technologies, techniques, and innovations in the craft.
Due to the skilled craft of the metal smiths, the Plechschmidts were likely well respected and well regarded by the townsfolk. They provided the community with metal armor, tools, weapons, and other items that were vital to the day-to-day lives of the people in the community. This would make the Plechschmidt family a very important part of the town and a large part of its history.
The name Plechschmidt is still used today in many parts of Germany and is passed down from generation to generation. While the occupation of metalworking may have changed, the last name stands as an enduring reminder of the importance and skill the Plechschmidt family.
Order DNA origin analysisPlechschmidt: Where does the name Plechschmidt come from?
The last name Plechschmidt is not a very common name today, although it is a German surname originating in central Europe. It is likely to be most commonly found in Germany and the other countries that make up the German-speaking world. It may also be found in parts of neighbouring countries that have historically been associated with the German-speaking world, such as Austria and Hungary.
The Plechschmidt name is derived from a Middle Low German word, pleke or plech, which means ‘small meadow’ or ‘little pond’, and the word schmidt, which means ‘smith’. Thus, the name suggests a person who came from a small meadow by a little pond and worked as a smith.
In current German records, the spelling of the name is usually Plechtschmidt or Flechtschmidt, and is found most frequently in the states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia.
Given the prominent role that Germans have played in the settlement of other countries, such as the United States, it is also likely that there are Plechschmidts in the countries in which German immigrants have settled, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In fact, the Plechschmidt name appears on at least one Canadian headstone dating from 1855 in Ontario.
It is possible to trace the ancestry of people with the Plechschmidt surname as they spread through Germany and beyond, by searching records produced by church and civil services.
Variations of the surname Plechschmidt
The surname Plechschmidt is an occupational surname deriving from the trade of metal working. It is most commonly used in Germany and other German speaking countries and is derived from the German word ‘plech’ meaning ‘sheet metal’. There are several variants of the name Plechschmidt as well as other surnames from the same origin.
The most common variant of Plechschmidt is the spelling Plechsmiede which is the same name spelled with an ‘e’ instead of an ‘i’. Other variants include Pläschmidt, Pleckemiede, and Prikker.
Plechschmidt is also the basis for other surnames deriving from the same occupational source. These include Plechschmitt, Pleckmann, Pleckmeier, Plechmin, Plachtmeister, Plachtmeier, and Pleckemeier. Some other surnames related to metal working include Blochmacher, Schmiedel, Schimmel, and Schmaltz.
The surnames which possibilities trace back to the same origin typically are commonly found within a certain geographic region. In many cases, it may be possible to identify another surname which is related to Plechschmidt or the other surnames from the same occupational origin.
In summary, the surname Plechschmidt has many variants and related surnames from the same occupational source which may trace their origin to the same geographic region. The variants of the surname include Plechsmiede, Pläschmidt, Pleckemiede, Prikker, and other similar surnames such as Plechschmitt, Pleckmann, Pleckmeier, and Plechmin. It is also possible to identify other related processional surnames from the same source such as Blochmacher, Schmiedel, Schimmel and Schmaltz.
Famous people with the name Plechschmidt
- Joseph Plechschmidt (1888–1965) was a renowned Austrian operatic bass-baritone who had a distinguished career in Europe between 1912 and 1945.
- Ladislaus Plechschmidt (1877–1969) was an Austrian painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who specialized in historical and religious subjects.
- Adolf Plechschmidt (1851–1910) was a noted Czech orchestra conductor in the late 19th century.
- Philipp Plechschmidt (1853–1937) was an Austrian engineer who made important contributions to the science of metallurgy.
- Erwin Plechschmidt (1892–1951) was a prominent Austrian sculptor and medal maker of the early 20th century.
- Camilla Plechschmidt (1845–1909) was a prominent German actress of the late 19th century.
- Katharina von Plechschmidt (1845–1924) was an Austrian botanist, geneticist and biochemist who made important contributions to the study of plant physiology.
- Alfred Plechschmidt (1901–1965) was a noted Austrian film director who worked in both German and Italian cinema during the silent and sound eras.
- Gottfried Plechschmidt (1807–1891) was an Austrian sculptor who was one of the signatories of the Vienna Secession of 1897.
- Franz Plechschmidt (1831–1910) was an important Austrian composer of orchestral and chamber music during the late 19th century.