Surname Schäfermeier - Meaning and Origin
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Schäfermeier: What does the surname Schäfermeier mean?
The last name Schäfermeier is of German origin and often shortened to simply Schäfer. It means “shepherd” in English, and is derived from the German word Schäfer which means shepherd. People with this last name were originally shepherds who tended to sheep in the southern parts of Germany.
Schäfermeier can be traced back to the medieval period of Germany, when land was held by noble families, but not for livestock grazing. As a result, free shepherds became some of the first to work as independent peasants on the land. The Schäfermeier name was likely adopted by these shepherds as a way to show their vocation.
Shepherding has long been part of the German culture and was particularly important prior to the industrial revolution. In the traditional culture of the German people, the shepherd was likened to a king, and was able to pass through certain areas due to his high standing. The name Schäfermeier has come to represent the long-standing tradition of shepherding in Germany, and it serves as a reminder of the hardworking people who shepherded the land.
The name Schäfermeier has also been adopted by other countries. In the United States, it has become fairly common and there are many Schäfermeier families living in the country today. The name is still used in Germany as well, where it will continue to represent the long tradition of shepherding.
Order DNA origin analysisSchäfermeier: Where does the name Schäfermeier come from?
The last name Schäfermeier is fairly common today in many German-speaking countries, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is also found in other areas with German-speaking populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
In Germany, Schäfermeier is among the top 800 surnames for frequency of use. It is primarily found in the middle, northwest, and eastern parts of the country, which include Hennef, Berlin, Leipzig, Würzburg, Munich, and Oberhausen.
In Austria, Schäfermeier is among the top 1000 surnames, with the highest concentrations in Vienna and the surrounding areas.
In Switzerland, the surname is less common, with only a few dozen families carrying the name. Most of these families living in the area around Lucerne, Zürich, and Basel.
In the United States, Schäfermeier is most popular in Wisconsin and other states in the Midwest. It is also found in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and other states scattered across the country.
In Canada, the surname is primarily concentrated around Toronto in Ontario, but there are also families located in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. Likewise, in Australia, Schäfermeier families can be found in all six states and the two territories of the commonwealth.
Variations of the surname Schäfermeier
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Schäfermeier are as follows:
Schäfermeier – This is the most common and original spelling of the name.
Schafermeier – Commonly seen, an alternate spelling of the name.
Schaefermeier – Another common variation of the name.
Schäfermayer – Another variant spelling.
Scharfmeier – Sometimes the 'ä' is replaced with an 'a' in the spelling.
Scharfmeyer – Similar pattern as above, with the 'ä' replaced with an 'a'.
Schäfermeyer – Common variation of the spelling, with 'mayer' replaced with 'meyer'.
Schäfermair – Common alternate spelling of the name.
Schaefermair – Another variation with 'mair' instead of 'meier'.
Schaefermair – Another spelling variation.
Schäfermaier – This is a variation of the original name.
Schäfer – A simplified version of the original name, without 'meier'.
Schäfermaer – A variation of the original name, with 'maer' instead of 'meier'.
Schäffermeier – An alternate spelling of the original name, with 'ff' instead of 'f'.
Schaeferzmeier – An uncommon variation of the name, with an extra 'z'.
Schäffermaier – A variation of the original name, with 'ff' instead of 'f'.
Scharffmeier – A spelling variation with an extra 'f'.
Schäffermeyer – A variant of the original name, with 'ff' instead of 'f' and 'meyer' instead of 'meier'.
Those are some of the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Schäfermeier. In some cases, the spelling may be different but the pronunciation remains largely unchanged, as many of the changes involve the substitution of an 'a' for 'ä'.
Famous people with the name Schäfermeier
- Franz Schäfermeier: German actor
- Hans Schäfermeier: German former footballer
- Axel Schäfermeier: German entrepreneur and CEO
- Gunther Schäfermeier: German politician and lawyer
- Christian Schäfermeier: Austrian footballer
- Andreas Schäfermeier: German photographer
- Jörg Schäfermeier: German former speed skater
- Thomas Schäfermeier: German television presenter
- Paul Schäfermeier: German former voice actor
- Detlef Schäfermeier: German singer and composer