Surname Meinardus - Meaning and Origin
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Meinardus: What does the surname Meinardus mean?
The last name Meinardus is of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old Germanic roots "Mein" (meaning strength or power) and "ard" (meaning brave or strong). It is an occupational surname, referring to someone who made or sold nails, likely for use in the building trade.
The family name could also be derived from the old Germanic root "Herman" (meaning army or soldier) combined with the word "ard" (meaning brave or strong). This could indicate someone who was employed as a soldier or as a guard.
This name is a popular surname in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Some notable people with the surname Meinardus include Thomas Meinardus, a German orientalist; Dietmar Meinardus, an Austrian hockey player; and Govert Meinardus, a Dutch engineer.
The meaning of the name Meinardus is "powerfully brave." It is a testament to the strength and courage of those early family members who bequeathed it to future generations. Today, the last name Meinardus is a proud symbol of the family's legacy and heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMeinardus: Where does the name Meinardus come from?
The last name Meinardus is common in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in the countries of Germany, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, and Russia. In Germany, the most common area of origin is the Rheinland-Palatinate region in the just west of the Rhine. In Poland, the Meinardus name is used mainly in the Great Poland region in the northwest, as well as parts of the Masovia region in the southeast of the country. The Baltic regions of Ukraine and Belarus were historically populated by the Meinardus family, although the surname is much less common today due to significant population movement during the 20th century.
In Lithuania, the Meinardus name is common in the Alytus region in the south. Visitors to the town of Anykščiai in the north may also encounter Meinardus family name. In Latvia, Meinardus is present in the northwest near Latvia's border with Lithuania, while in Russia the name is mainly found in the Leningrad region, formerly known as the Baltic region.
Finally, the last name Meinardus is also present in the United States of America, where many families have emigrated from the above mentioned nations. It is found in many cities, with a particularly high concentration of Meinardus families in Chicago, Illinois.
Variations of the surname Meinardus
The surname Meinardus has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin throughout Germany and Europe. Variants include Meinerdus, Meinerding, Mainardus, Maenardus, Meynardus, Meinhardus, Mainard, Mainhard, Meinhard, Minehard, Meinert, Meininger, Meinhirt, Meiner, Möner, Müner, Möhner, Mühner, Möhne, Minard, Minhard, Menard, and Minert.
Meinardus, as well as many of its variations, are derived from the Germanic arn premiered as a personal name. It was derived from the element “arn" which means eagle, and “heri” which was a common nickname applied to a warrior, brave man or hero. The surname also have an occupational origin, deriving from the German surname “meinhard”, translated as “counsel” or “helpful”. The German word “mein” means many and “hard” means brave or hardy. Thus, the surname Meinardus could have been given to a person who was brave or helpful in his work.
The Meinardus surname is commonly associated with Germany, but can be found throughout Europe. In Belgium, the surname is spelled Mainard or Meinhard, while the Italian derivative is Mainardi or Mainardini. The intermittent influences of the different dialects and languages on the spellings of the surname leads to many different variations and spellings throughout Europe.
Famous people with the name Meinardus
- Friedrich Gerhard Meinardus: German orientalist and theologian.
- Judy Meinardus: American investor and philanthropist.
- Lorraine Meinardus: British actress.
- Jochen Meinardus: German politician and Member of the European Parliament.
- Friedrich Otto Meinardus: German historian.
- Eric Meinardus: American historian and theologian.
- Olaf von Meinardus: German entrepreneur and publicist.
- Alexander Meinardus: German historian of religion.
- Manfred Meinardus: German social worker and political scientist.
- Dieter Meinardus: German musicologist, composer and conductor.