Surname Dammeier - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
Dammeier: What does the surname Dammeier mean?
The last name Dammeier is a German surname originating in Westphalia, Germany. It is derived from a personal first name, Dam(m), and the Old German word meier meaning 'steward'. Therefore Dammeier literally translates to ‘the steward of Dam’. Steward in this context can refer to either a civil servant or a landowner’s deputy responsible for the running of the property and the care of the animals.
The surname first appeared in records in the 13th century. At that time, many people used the patronymic naming system, in which the father’s first name was used to form the surname. During this period, the surname was variously spelled, ranging from Dammeyr, damnri, danmeyr, to the current Dammeier.
Given the mobility of people within the German-speaking states, the surname Dammeier found its way to many other parts of the world including the United States, where the spelling was often adapted to fit local pronunciation.
Dammeier is a rare surname today and is best located in the US states as well as some German states, including Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Lower Saxony.
Order DNA origin analysisDammeier: Where does the name Dammeier come from?
The last name Dammeier is most commonly found in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is likely that the name originates from one of these countries, given the similarities in the languages. Although the surname is uncommon in the United States, it has been found in many states, including Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and New York.
In Germany, the last name Dammeier is most commonly found in the states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony-Anhalt, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Wurttemberg. It is also relatively common in some areas of Austria, such as Vienna, Lower Austria, and Upper Austria.
In Switzerland, Dammeier can be found mostly in the regions of Zurich, Bern, Aargau, and Basel-Stadt. The name is also common in the cantons of Vaud and Valais. Overall, this last name has a moderate distribution in German-speaking countries and is not as common in other countries. It is likely that if you have this last name, you were likely born or have family roots in this region.
Variations of the surname Dammeier
The surname Dammeier is of German origin and is derived from the Low German damm, meaning an earth wall used to keep out water. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include: Demme, Demer, Damme, Demm, Dam, Damm, Dammann, Dammmann and Dammeir.
The surname Dammeier may have started out as an occupational name for a gatekeeper or a damp wall builder who resided on a marsh. It is also derived from the Middle High German dem brome, which denotes someone living near a brome, a grass-rich pasture. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin of Dammeier are Dembrowsky, Dembrowske, Dumbrowsky and Dumbrowske.
In addition, this surname can be Anglicized to Dammer, Dammier, Dammeyer, Dammyer, Demmer, Demmore, or Damier. Many foreign language variants of the surname include: Demmings, Dammas, Demars, Daman, Dammand, Damnay, Dammaz, Dammi, Dammon, and Dammus.
The variant Damme is found mainly in Germany and other German-speaking countries of Europe. The Demm spelling is most common in Holland, and the Demer and Damnay spellings are found among immigrants in the United States. In other regions such as Australia, South Africa, and England, the surname is often spelt as Dammeir.
Famous people with the name Dammeier
- Jeffrey Dammeier: Mayor of Tacoma, Washington
- Ingo Dammeier: German economist
- Robert Dammeier: American businessman
- Mark Dammeier: American film producer and editor
- Davorka Dammeier: Croatian theatre, film and television actress
- Chirine Njeim Dammeier: Lebanese former Miss Lebanon
- Fritz Dammeier: German Olympic winter sport athlete
- Ronald Dammeier: American soccer player
- Matthias Dammeier: German artist and filmmaker
- Manfred Dammeier: German physicist
- Philip Dammeier: German actor
- Trond Dammeier: Norwegian Paralympic athlete