Surname Plümer - Meaning and Origin
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Plümer: What does the surname Plümer mean?
The last name Plümer is a German and Dutch surname derived from the word plume, meaning feather or tuft. The addition of the umlaut over the ‘u’ in the surname makes it an alternative spelling to Plumer or Plumor. In other words, the surname is an indicator that its original bearer was a feather-worker or was associated with the plume industry.
The earliest known record of the surname dates back to the 14th century when a family of the name Plumere was present in Yorkshire, England. Within the same century, the family were also recorded in both Germany and the Netherlands. It is likely that the surname evolved separately in all three countries as the most common form of the name is still found in those areas today.
In Germany, the name is thought to have originated in Saxony in the 1400’s, where it is most prevalent today. It is also found in other areas including Bavaria, Rhineland, and Thuringia. Meanwhile, records of the name in the Netherlands date back to the 1500’s when the family was found in the province of Utrecht.
The original meaning of the surname Plümer remains the same today. It is a surname that indicates a connection to feathers, either through trade or a traditional family role.
Order DNA origin analysisPlümer: Where does the name Plümer come from?
The last name Plümer is a German surname. It is mainly found in the northern, western, and central regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria, but there is also a significant presence in South Tyrol, Austria. It is a relatively uncommon name in other parts of the world.
In the United States, the Plümer surname is few and far between. German immigrants brought the name to America between the 1700s and early 1900s, but its spread across the country was limited. Plümer can be found concentrated in the Eastern and Midwestern states, as well as certain areas in California and Oregon.
In Canada, the name is more widespread, mainly due to the large number of German settlers who arrived in the 19th century. Significant concentrations of Plümer can be found in Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.
In South American countries, the surname shows up in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. It is likely that German immigrants introduced Plümer to these places during the second wave of immigration in the mid-1800s.
These days Plümer is not a particularly common name, but it remains associated mainly with Germany. In all likelihood, its prevalence in the country is due in part to the fact that it is a relatively old and well-documented name.
Variations of the surname Plümer
The surname Plümer (also spelled Plümmer, Blümer, Ploemer, Plümermann, and Pläumer) derives from the pre-medieval Germanic surname “Blüme”, which has the meaning “flower”. The name originally referred to someone who was known for their association with flora and fauna, or was given the surname because of their physical features, which quite easily could have been compared to the beauty of a flower.
In its earliest known form, Plümer, it is found in Ludwigslust (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany). This area was stuck between two medieval Dukedoms, thus the surname might have been adopted from one of these two areas or from farther away. Some sources claim that the family originated from the Duchy of Lower Lusatia and then spread all through Europe.
The variant Blümer is documented back in the 15th century in the area of Heidelberg, Germany. Later on, it became the preferred spelling for the German-speaking populace in countries like Estonia, Austria, Czech Republic, and even in the Delmarva Peninsula area of the United States.
The spelling Pläumer has the same exact origin as Plümer, simply being an archaic spelling, still used in some regions, mostly in South Germany. Ploemer is a Dutch spelling of Blümer, as well as Plümmer, another variation of the surname. Plümermann is a patronymic form of Plümer. It is sometimes used when the family’s former name was Blümer, but other Plümer families prefer to use it.
The many similar spellings and variants of the surname all derive from the same source, but each death record, birth certificate, or other historical document must be checked to make sure that brothers, father or grandfathers are related, as the spelling variations can give a false impression that the families are not related.
Famous people with the name Plümer
- Gerard Plümer: Dutch football player who competed in the 1924 Olympics.
- Manfred Plümer: German actor, director and screenwriter.
- Thomas Plümer: German javelin thrower who competed in the 1996 Olympics.
- Andreas Plümer: German ice hockey player who competed in the 2002 Olympics.
- Jost Plümer: German water polo player who competed in the 2004 Olympics.
- Julian Plümer: German swimmer who competed in the 2008 Olympics.
- Chris Plümer: German rower who competed in the 2012 Olympics.
- Albrecht Plümer: German handball player who competed in the 2016 Olympics.
- Eva Plümer: German canoeist who competed in the 2020 Olympics.
- Roger Plümer: British film producer who has worked on several documentaries.
- Scott Plümer: American football player who was drafted in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft.
- Johnny Plümer: American country music artist who has released several albums.
- Eleanor Plümer: British actress who has appeared in film and television.
- Melinda Plümer: American writer and editor best known for her novel In Too Deep.