Surname Nier - Meaning and Origin
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Nier: What does the surname Nier mean?
The surname Nier is of German origin and is directly linked to a professional occupation. It is derived from the Middle High German term "nierer", meaning a "skinner" or "tanner". These terms referred to individuals who were engaged in the profession of removing fur or hides from animals, or alternatively treating the hides to produce leather. Hence, the surname Nier indicates that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in these trades. Over time, like many occupational surnames, it was adopted by families and passed down generations as a last name. Please note that the meaning and origin can vary due to regional differences and evolution of languages over time.
Order DNA origin analysisNier: Where does the name Nier come from?
Nier is an uncommon name today, but it can be found in a few countries around the world. Nier is most commonly found in Germany, where it is primarily used as a surname. In addition to Germany, Nier is also found in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Nier is of Germanic and Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old German “neuri”, meaning “strong”, “valiant” or “daring”. The name is most likely connected to an Old Germanic god, Neuri. The surname is used as Künzel and Künzelmeier in the Lower Rhine as well as the Palatinate region of Germany.
The earliest traceable ancestor of the name is Gunther Nier, who lived in Bavaria in the 1600s. During the 19th century, many Niers emigrated from Germany, primarily to the United States and the Netherlands.
Today, Nier is still quite rare as a given name; it is more commonly used as a surname. It may be found in the United States, Central Europe, and the English-speaking countries of Europe and Australia. It is estimated the there are approximately 1000 people with the last name Nier worldwide.
Variations of the surname Nier
The surname Nier is derived from the German personal name Nier, which is derived from the Old High German name Niter or Niterich meaning “fierce” or “strong” in the Germanic language. This surname has a variety of different variants, spellings and surnames that all stem from the same origin.
The most common variants to the surname Nier are Nieh, Nyeh, Neer,Niehr, Neeher, Nyehr, and Neyer. There are also some less common variants such as Niere, Niert, Neiere, Neir, Nire, Neerer, Neier, and Neyre, although these variants are not as commonly seen.
The common spellings for the surname Nier include Nire, Niir, Neyer, Nirer, Nieter, Nier, and Nyehr. Other less common spellings such as Neie, Nyeir, Niur, Neehr, Niert, Niere, Nire, Neire, Neiere, Neier, and Neyre also exist, although they are not as commonly seen.
Lastly, there are several common surnames of the same origin as Nier. These include Niear, Neer, Nehr, Nyeh, Neuher, Nieth, Nierst, Neirs, Neyer, and Neerher.
Overall, the surname Nier has a variety of different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. All of these variations are derived from the same Old High German name, and many of them are still very common today.
Famous people with the name Nier
- Emilie Nier: French illustrator
- Nier Automata: Main protagonist of the video game
- Pierre Nier: French bishop
- Bernard Nier: Belgian artist
- Maurice Nier: Belgian mathematician
- Tommy Nier: American track and field athlete
- Kurt Nier: German architect
- Elisabeth Nier: French poet
- Florim Nier: Albanian footballer
- Marcel Nier: French priest, advocate and educator