Surname Zehntmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Zehntmeier: What does the surname Zehntmeier mean?
The last name Zehntmeier comes from a German origin and is derived from the word “zent”, which means a “tax” or “tithe”. The word “meier” can have various meanings, such as “farm manager” or “mayor”, so it can be assumed that Zehntmeier translates to “someone who collects taxes”. This makes sense, considering that taxes have been collected for centuries in Germany.
The Zehntmeier surname is mainly found in South West Germany, particularly in Baden-Württemberg. It is likely that those with this last name were once affiliated with the collection of taxes, although there is no actual record of this.
Although there is no clear evidence of what kind of job or profession those with this surname had in Germany historically, it is likely that they were somehow related to the collecting or levying of taxes in some way.
Today Zehntmeier is an uncommon surname, but it is still used in some parts of Germany. Those with this name tend to have roots in the South West of the country and tend to have German as their native language. It is likely that this name is still used because of its historical meaning - that of “someone who collects taxes”.
Order DNA origin analysisZehntmeier: Where does the name Zehntmeier come from?
The last name Zehntmeier is a very rare name, but is most commonly found in Germany. According to genealogy records, the Zehntmeier surname is thought to have originated in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, a region located along the banks of the Rhine River. It is speculated that the name was derived from the German word zehnt meaning ‘tithe’.
The surname Zehntmeier is most commonly found in western Germany and is relatively isolated to that region. In the most recent German census results, Zehntmeier was the 558th most common name in Germany and the Zehntmeier population is estimated to be around 2000 people. Most of the Zehntmeier’s living in Germany today can be found in the cities of Mannheim, Mainz, and Munich.
In recent years, many Zehntmeier’s have emigrated to other countries, mainly the United States, Canada, and Australia, seeking better opportunities. There are smaller pockets of the family in larger cities in the U.S. like Chicago and New York City.
Therefore, while the last name Zehntmeier is still quite rare, its population is slowly but steadily growing. It is mostly concentrated in Germany and in the last few hundred years has spread over the world.
Variations of the surname Zehntmeier
The surname Zehntmeier is an uncommon German surname that is most commonly found in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is derived from the medieval practice of collecting a tithe from Catholics and Protestants alike. As with many German surnames, it has had various spellings and variants over the centuries.
The surnames Zentmar, Zentmeir, Zentmaier, Zehntmeir, Zehntmaier, Zehntmair, and Zantmeier are all variants of Zehntmeier.
The most common spelling is Zentmar and Zentmeir. Both of these spellings are derived from the Middle High German zintmar, which translates to tithe-collector. The other variants most likely originate from similar but slightly different regional dialects of Middle High German.
The surnames Zehntmeir, Zehntmaier, Zehntmair and Zantmeier all come from the Middle Low German zehnte, which means tithe. The addition of the suffix -meier or -mair or the prefix -zant is common among German surnames. These variations also most likely originate from different regional dialects of Middle Low German.
Overall, Zehntmeier is an uncommon German surname that has numerous spellings and variants. It is derived from the medieval practice of collecting a tithe from Catholics and Protestants alike. Various spellings of the surname include Zentmar, Zentmeir, Zentmaier, Zehntmeir, Zehntmaier, Zehntmair, and Zantmeier, all of which are believed to originate from different regional dialects of Middle High German and Middle Low German.
Famous people with the name Zehntmeier
- Alexander Zehntmeier: a German film director, editor and screenwriter. He is known for editing popular films such as The Young Karl Marx, Good Bye Lenin!, Evicted and the TV series Weissensee.
- Christina Zehntmeier: a German classical soprano. She is popular for her roles in operas such as Macbeth, Don Giovanni, and Fidelio.
- Dominik Zehntmeier: a German former professional ice hockey player. He is known for playing for the EV Ravensburg, Kölner Haie and the Eisbären Berlin.
- Wolfgang Zehntmeier: an Austrian retired professional footballer. He is known for playing for clubs such as LASK Linz and FC Basel in Switzerland.
- Hugo Zehntmeier: a German sculptor from the 19th century known for works such as the Bavarian and Vienna Triumphal Arches. He was a student of the well-known sculptor Philipp Jakob Straub.
- Georg Zehntmeier: an Austrian professional footballer known for playing at the centre-back position. He currently plays for FC Liefering.
- Armin Zehntmeier: a German former professional footballer who played for clubs such as SpVgg Greuther Fürth and in the League of Wales for Colwyn Bay.
- Daniel Zehntmeier: a German footballer known for playing for SpVgg Landshut and TSV 1860 Munich II.
- Reinhard Zehntmeier: a German former professional footballer and manager. He was the manager of FC 08 Villingen from 1992 to 1996.
- Thomas Zehntmeier: a German professional footballer currently playing for TSV Schilksee.