Meier

Meier
Recorded in the spellings of Maier, Maior, Mair, Mayer, Mayor, Meir, Meijer, Meyer, and Meier, with the patronymics Mayers and Meyers, this notable surname is of Roman and Frankish pre 5th century origins. Deriving from the original Roman (Latin) personal name "Magnus" meaning "The great one", it has always been widely recorded in early English, Dutch, French, German and Swisse registers from the earliest times, both as firstly a baptismal name, and then after the 12th century a.d., as a surname. In addion and throughout history it has been a status name describing the headman or "mayor", of the town or area. In medieval Scotland, the title denoted an officer who executed summonses and other legal writs in addition to administrative activities, and in a Scottish Act of Parliament dated 1426, the mair was described as the king's "Sergeant", and entitled to bear a horn and wand. In England, the term was always given to the chief civil officer of a borough, but occasionally may have been bestowed as a nickname on a pompous or officious person. In 17th century Germany and particularly in the former state of Lippe, it developed other compound forms, all relating to status. These include Surmeyer, Surmeyers, and Suermeier with the later American Surmeir, and these describe either a High Mayor or an "elder mayor", or literally a past mayor. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from the first English records include William le Maier of Somerset, in 1243, and Henry Meyer and Bartholomew le Meyre in Norfolk in 1275. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Heinrich Meier of Zurich, Switzerland, which was dated circa 1172, in the rolls and charters of that famous city.

Surnames reference. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Meier — may refer to: A historical kind of bailiff in parts of the Low Countries. Contents 1 People 2 Places 3 Other uses 4 See also …   Wikipedia

  • MEIER (R.) — MEIER RICHARD (1934 ) Parmi les «stylistes» du prestige moderne, l’architecte Richard Meier, né à Newark (New Jersey) en 1934, lauréat du prix Pritzker (1984), a conquis une place de premier plan. En 1963, il visite l’exposition consacrée par le… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Meier — Sm per. Wortschatz arch. (11. Jh.), mhd. mei(g)er, ahd. meior, meiur, meiger, as. meier Oberaufseher, Bewirtschafter, Pächter eines Guts Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. māiōr(em). Dieses ist verkürzt aus māiōr domūs Vorsteher der Dienerschaft eines… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • Meier [1] — Meier u. Zusammensetzungen, s. Maier …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Meier [2] — Meier, so v.w. Meierkraut …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Meier [3] — Meier, 1) Georg Friedrich, geb. 1718 zu Ammendorf im Saalkreise; wurde 1746 Professor der Philosophie in Halle u. st. das. 1777; er schr.: Anfangsgründe der schönen Wissenschaften, Halle 1748, 3 Thle., 2. Aufl. ebd. 1754; Betrachtungen über den… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Meier [1] — Meier und Meiergut, s. Maier …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Meier [2] — Meier, 1) Eduard, Philolog, geb. 1. Jan. 1796 in Glogau, gest. 5. Dez. 1855 in Halle, studierte 1813–16 in Breslau und Berlin, habilitierte sich 1819 in Halle und wurde 1820 außerordentlicher Professor in Greifswald, 1825 ordentlicher Professor… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Meier — Meier, Meierhof, s. Maier …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Meier [2] — Meier, Ernst von, Jurist, geb. 12. Okt. 1832 zu Braunschweig, 1868 Prof. in Halle, 1886 Kurator der Universität Marburg, 1888 94 der Universität Göttingen; schrieb: »Die Rechtsbildung in Staat und Kirche« (1861), »Hannov. Verfassungs u.… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Meier [3] — Meier, Herm. Henrich, Großkaufmann und Parlamentarier, geb. 16. Okt. 1809 in Bremen, gründete 1856 die Bremer Bank, 1857 den Norddeutschen Lloyd, Mitglied des Frankfurter Parlaments, des Norddeutschen, 1878 87 des Deutschen Reichstags… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”