Surname Topfmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Topfmeier: What does the surname Topfmeier mean?
The surname Topfmeier is usually of German origin. It is derived from the German words 'Topf', meaning 'pot', and 'meier', meaning 'landlord'.
The earliest known mention of the surname comes from the early 17th century, in which the name appeared as a reference to someone taking care of a beer or wine cellar, most likely in the area that straddles the Rhineland and Westphalia. At that time, the Topfmeier family was likely made up of stewards, brewers, and innkeepers, and would have been relatively wealthy.
The name continued to be common in the area, and eventually spread to other parts of Germany and around the world. It is believed that the Topfmeiers were some of the earliest immigrants to the United States, starting around the mid-1860s.
Today, the surname Topfmeier has a variety of associated regional spellings, including Topfmayr, Tophamire, Topfmeir, Tupfmeier, and Tophmeier. Despite its German origin, the name is found in areas around the globe, and is particularly common in the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisTopfmeier: Where does the name Topfmeier come from?
The surname Topfmeier is most commonly found in Germany. As of 2019, there over 5,000 registered cases of the surname living in Germany alone. It can also be found in certain parts of the United States, primarily in the Midwest and the Northeastern states. The roots of the surname stem from Old German words, "topf" meaning pot, vessel or jar and "meier" meaning a steward or mayor.
The surname remains most common in areas of Germany like Lower Saxony, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Rhineland-Palatinate. A few villages of Lower Saxony, such as Dorfmark, Calberlah, and Celle, have an especially high concentration of Topfmeier's.
The first recorded documents of the name,
Topfmeijere, were found in 1324 in transportation records of the Incidenterregister in Holsten and Bernried, Bavaria. Over the centuries, the spelling has changed from Topfmeijere, to Topmeijer, to Topfmeier.
In parts of the United States, the name is still prevalent; especially in Michigan, Ohio, Utah, California, and New York. It is speculated that the name was brought to the United States by German immigrants who came over in the mid-19th century.
Overall, the surname Topfmeier is not a widespread one. Even in Germany, it is present, but not extremely so. In the US, it is common in some areas, thanks to 19th century German immigrants, but can otherwise be quite hard to come by.
Variations of the surname Topfmeier
The surname Topfmeier has a variety of different, alternate spellings and variants depending on the region of origin. It may be spelt in the German version as “Topfmeier”, but it is also spelled as “Töpfmeier” in some places. In Dutch-speaking countries, the spelling is often “Topfmaier”. Other variants that can be found in Germany are “Topemayr”, “Topfmeierr”, and “Töpfermayr”.
Topfmeier may also be used as a surname derivative in other parts of the world with various versions of the spelling, such as “Topfmeyer”, “Toppfmeier”, and “Topfmmayer”. It can even be found with a more anglicised pronunciation as “Toppmyer”.
When it comes to surnames of the same origins, there are some more, original forms including “Töpfe” from Germany, “Tupfmeier”, “Topmier”, and “Topfmeier” from Austria and Italy. In Switzerland, the surname is sometimes seen as “Tafmeier” or “Tafmeyr”. The Scandinavian variants include “Tupemeyer”, “Tupemeyer”, and “Tubmejor”.
It is important to note that some spellings may still be in use today, but have been "contaminated" by dialects. For example, the German surname “Töpfmeier” may also be seen as “Toppmeyer” which is a more recent form of the original.
Famous people with the name Topfmeier
- Petra Topfmeier: German TV personality, journalist, presenter and author.
- Valentine Topfmeier: French-Italian writer and researcher.
- Peter Topfmeier: Austrian historian and publicist.
- Michael Topfmeier: German actor and voice actor.
- Claudia Topfmeier: German film costume designer.
- Karl Topfmeier: German theologian and priest.
- Annette Topfmeier: German artist and sculptor.
- Gilbert Topfmeier: German sculptor and painter.
- Sebastian Topfmeier: German entomologist and naturalist.
- Peter Benjamin Topfmeier: German-American close harmony and barbershop singer and songwriter.
- Joseph Topfmeier: American lawyer and politician