Surname Hintermayer - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Hintermayer: What does the surname Hintermayer mean?
The last name Hintermayer is derived from the German word hinter, which literally means "behind" or "behind the scenes." Thus, the name is likely to have originated as a reference to someone who worked behind the scenes performing menial tasks or other services for another person or family. This could include an individual who acted in a supporting role, such as a handyman, servant, or farmer, for instance.
The surname then became a signifier for a person whose occupation was in the background or outside of the public spotlight. It is possible that given the etymology of the name, the people associated with the surname may have had connections to either the agricultural or industrial sectors. It may also have been a hereditary name handed down from generation to generation, and so might have some sort of family connection.
In recent times, the name has also come to be used as a descriptor to indicate someone who is hard-working or dependable, likely stemming from its original meaning, as someone who could be depended on to go about their tasks quietly and efficiently in the background.
Thus, the last name Hintermayer has many possible origins, and its true story is likely to be unique for each family that carries the name.
Order DNA origin analysisHintermayer: Where does the name Hintermayer come from?
The last name Hintermayer is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In Germany, the name is most noted in the Bavarian area, with around 600 people bearing the name. In Austria, it is more widely spread, and around 1,300 people report the name. In Switzerland, the name can be found in the cantons of Zurich, Aargau, and Basel-Stadt, with around 500 people with the last name.
The Hintermayer name has been found in many of the predominant noble family lines throughout Europe during the 1800s, including the Hintermayer family of Styria, the Hintermayer family of Bavaria, and the Hintermayer family of Baden. They have also been noted in areas of Hungary, Bohemia, and Poland.
Today, many Hintermayers can be found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Additionally, many descendants of the Hintermayer family have emigrated to countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa during the great migration of the late 19th century. In 2020, over 3,500 people reported the name Hintermayer in Germany, 1,400 in Austria, and 200 in Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Hintermayer
Hintermayer is a German surname derived from the Latin term hinter meaning “behind” and Mayer, an old German word meaning “mayor”. It is believed that the name originated as a title for local government officials or possibly a family who presided over a district or village.
There are many spellings and surnames of the same origin as Hintermayer:
Hintermeier, Hintermeyer, Hintermehr, Hintermeirer, Hinterman, Hintermair, Hintermauer, Hintermueller, Hintermann, Hintermaier, Hintermaer, Hintermair, Hintermeyr, Hintermeer, Hintermeyrl, Hintermayr, Hintermayr, Hintermeier, Hintermaurer, and Hintermaier.
The surname may have also been used to refer to those who lived behind the local major’s house, making it a descriptive surname of a place of origin.
Other variations of the German surname include Henterman, Hintzelman, Hinterholz, and Hinderman.
Hintermayer is also popular to other countries with German-speaking populations. Variations and multi-language spellings of the surname include Hintersmayer in Austria, Hintrimayer (Hungarian), Hentemayer (Czech), Hintermaier (Dutch), entremaer (French), and Hintermayer (Danish).
Today, there are many Hintermayer families around the world bearing this surname.
Famous people with the name Hintermayer
- Joe Hintermayer, a professional basketball player.
- Erwin Hintermayer, an Austrian bronze medalist in saber in fencing in the 1920 Olympics.
- Rainer Hintermayer, an Austrian physician and Professor of Surgery at the University of Leipzig.
- Roman Hintermayer, an Austrian football midfielder.
- Richard Hintermayer, an experimental music composer.
- Helmut Hintermayer, a music producer and sound engineer.
- Andreas Hintermayer, a German professional racing cyclist.
- Tom Hintermayer, a Danish professional football player.
- Marcus Hintermayer, an Austrian professional ice hockey player.
- Gunther Hintermayer, a Canadian-Austrian art restorer and painter.