Surname Vasmer - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Vasmer: What does the surname Vasmer mean?
The last name Vasmer comes from the Germanic language, and its meaning is thought to refer to a person from the region of Vass or Veszprem. This town lies in the south of Hungary and the ancient name was believed to derive from the Slavic term for “overgrown with elder-trees.”
In the 19th and 20th centuries, associations between the surname Vasmer and aristocratic heraldry were common in many European countries. The most famous bearer of the name was German-born Russian literary historian and philologist Max Vasmer. He was best-known for his three-volume "Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language," which remains a standard reference in Slavic linguistics today.
Vasmer is a relatively uncommon last name in English-speaking countries, but it is quite prevalent in several parts of Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary and other Slavic regions. It can be found as well in Russia and other former Soviet territories.
Vasmer is also a location-based surname, meaning that those who bear it are likely to have origins in the Hungarian region of Vass or Veszprem. If you happen to share this last name, you may be related to the famous literary historian and philologist Max Vasmer or someone else with roots in the region.
Order DNA origin analysisVasmer: Where does the name Vasmer come from?
The last name Vasmer is most commonly found in Russian-speaking countries such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The surname is derived from the Russian male given name Vassily, which itself comes from the Greek name Basil. It is believed that people bearing the last name may descend from a noble family that originally came from the Northern Caucasus region.
The majority of the people with Vasmer as their last name live in Russia. The number of people with Vasmer as a last name is about 4,000, although this number could be slightly higher due to migration since traditional Russian census does not record data on last names. In Belarus, this name is the 41st most common last name, with about 2,000 people having it.
Despite its primarily Russian origin, the surname Vasmer can also be found in some other parts of the world, although in much lesser numbers. The United States has the most non-Russian occurrences, followed by Canada, Germany, Latvia, South Africa, Czechia, and Lithuania. The countries of Australia, Brazil, and Argentina also have documented occurrences of the name, although in far fewer quantities.
Variations of the surname Vasmer
Vasmer is a surname of Germanic, Austrian, and Swiss-German origin. It is derived from the Old German personal name Wasmoer, composed of the Old High German elements wasi meaning “watchman” and moer, “fame”. The spelling variants of the surname include Wassmer, Wassmoor, Wasmer, and Wasemar.
In Austria, the surname is also spelled Wasemer, Vassmer, Vassimor, and Vassemoor. In Switzerland, it is also spelled Wasimer, Vassmaer, Vassmaer, and Vaßmoer.
The surnames Vassmer and Vaßmoer derived from this name are also found in East Prussia and parts of Russia east of the Ural Mountains.
Common variants of the surname include Vasma, Vasmer, Vasmers, and Vasmyr. Variants of the surname Vasmer include Vassmaer, Vassmer, and Vassmoor.
In the United States, the surname Vasmer is sometimes seen spelled Voasmer, Vasmar, Vassmar, and Vosmer.
The surnames Vasmer, Wassmer, and Wasmer can also be found in The Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway. In these countries, the surnames are usually spelled Vasmeyer, Vassmer, Vaserman, Vassermaer, and Wassermaer.
Famous people with the name Vasmer
- Max Vasmer: German-Russian linguist and Slavic studies scholar.
- Andrey Vasmer: Russian bass singer, best known for operatic repertoire.
- Vasily Vasmer: Russian historian, ethnographer, linguist.
- Yuri Vasmer: Russian philologist, Indo-European scholar, and professor.
- Iosif Vasmer: Estonian-Russian philologist, Slavic linguist, and lexicographer.
- Alexander Vasmer: Russian painter and theatrical set designer.
- Evgeny Vasmer: Russian actor.
- Nikita Vasmer: Russian classical scholar.
- Jesusa Vasmer: Russian-born American ballerina.
- Oleg Vasmer: Soviet rower and Olympic champion.
- Anna Vasmer: Russian singer-songwriter and actress.
- Vladimir Vasmer: Russian actor and theatre director.
- Maria Vasmer: Russian actress.
- Alexey Vasmer: Soviet speed skater.
- Robert Vasmer: German doctor, fighter pilot, and flight instructor.