Surname Kottmair - Meaning and Origin
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Kottmair: What does the surname Kottmair mean?
The last name Kottmair is of German origin. It is derived from a house name, derived from the Germaic element kot meaning "cottage, shelter, or hut," and the word mar, meaning "famous." The literal meaning of the name is "famous cottage" or "famous shelter."
The Kottmair name has been found in records since the Middle Ages in the regions of Bavaria, Franconia, and Hesse, Germany. It is believed that the family was of aristocratic descent and had their own coat of arms during the time of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Kottmair family has had a long history in Germany as well as other parts of Europe. The Kottmairs were originally found in the small village of Kottmairhof, in Bavaria. This farming community was made up of small farms, called “Kottmairhof.” Many generations have passed through Kottmairhof, and the family name has spread around the world, with many Kottmairs moving to the United States, Canada, and various European countries.
Today, the Kottmair family is found all over the globe. The name has grown to become a respectable and recognizable name. The Kottmair family’s long history has been an inspiration to many. As a whole, they have a proud and rich past and a bright future ahead.
Order DNA origin analysisKottmair: Where does the name Kottmair come from?
Today, the last name Kottmair is most commonly found in parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is also found, to a lesser extent, in other European countries including Poland and the Czech Republic.
The Kottmair surname is a variation on the German surname Kahn and is derived from the Middle High German term “kontoinmâre” which translates to “count’s counselor”. This refers to someone who had a strong relationship with a count while serving on their counsel. This relationship often took place in eastern Germanic parts of Europe, such as Bavaria and Prussia, and therefore the Kottmair surname is most common in areas with long-established ties to Germanic culture.
The Kottmair surname can also be found in Canada and the United States, where records of individuals with this name date back to the late 18th century. Records suggest that the families with this name immigrated in search of a better life, usually during times of economic hardship or insecurity in Europe.
Most of the people with this surname today are direct descendants of those same immigrants and still live in areas of North America and Europe that have large Germanic populations.
Variations of the surname Kottmair
The surname Kottmair has several variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin. Most of these surnames are derived from the German language and common in countries such as Austria and Germany.
Kottmair is a German name meaning ‘cottager’. Alternate spellings for this surname include Kottmayer, Kottmeir, Kottmeier, Kathermeier, Kottmair, Kauthemair and Kessler.
Kathmeier is an abridged variation of Kottmair that is popular in southern Germany. Similarly, Kottmeir is found in some areas of modern day Austria and Germany.
Kauthemair is a variant that came out of Bavaria, with the name being derived from the German term ‘Kauthermair’ which means ‘farmer’. Kessler is a variant of Kottmair that evolved from the Italian language, and is also derived from the term ‘Kottmair’, as ‘Kessler’ means ‘cottager’.
Kottmeyer, Kottmeier, and Kottmaier all come from Old German dialects. Kottmair is a more common version of the name, and Kottmeyer is likely derived from this more frequent spelling.
All of these variants and surnames are related to one another and come from the same origin. There are a few variations of Kottmair that have come from the same source, but all have a similar meaning and are related.
Famous people with the name Kottmair
- August Kottmair (1850-1937), German Catholic priest and historian
- Hinting Kottmair (1907-2000), American newspaper editor and publisher
- Adolph Kottmair (1913-1982), German schoolteacher and sculptor
- Alfred Kottmair (1914-1991), Austrian theatre and film director
- Don Kottmair (1919-2012), American baseball player
- Peter Kottmair (born 1938), German Olympic middle-distance runner
- Wolfgang Kottmair (1943-2020), German footballer
- Brunhilde Kottmair (1945-1967), German singer and actress
- Raimund Kottmair (born 1954), German opera singer
- Aaron Kottmair (born 1980), American former professional basketball player