Meyer is an originally German, Dutch and Jewish surname. With its numerous variants (Myer, Meyr, Meier, Meijer, Mayer, Maier, Mayr, Mair, Miers, etc.), it is a common German surname.[1] Its original meaning in Middle High German is from mei(g)er, "manager (of a lord's country estate)", derived from Latin maior domus, i.e. "headman of a household" (cf. mayor), later on also meaning "tenant" or "(free) farmer". It is therefore a rough equivalent of the English Steward, which has also been turned into surnames such as Stuart.

Meyer
Origin
Region of originGerman-speaking Europe, Netherlands, Flanders, Eastern Europe

This appellation was also frequently used to form longer, more specific surnames such as Bergmair or Niedermeier. Some German Jews adopted Meyer or a variant thereof as a surname when they assimilated to German culture in the 18th century, as it is close to the Hebrew first name Me'ir (מֵאִיר), "shining, enlightened".[2]

Geographical distribution

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In 2014, the surname Meyer was most often found (by percentage of the population) in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and South Africa. The name ranked 6th in Germany and 8th in Switzerland.[3]

Notable people

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A–D

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E–K

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L–Z

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Most Common Last Names In Germany". Forebears. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  2. ^ Anita Diamant, The New Jewish Baby Book: Names, Ceremonies, Customs: A Guide for Today's Families (Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1993).
  3. ^ "Meyer Surname Origin, Meaning & Last Name History". forebears.io. Retrieved 2023-03-13.