Surname Kopfmiller - Meaning and Origin
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Kopfmiller: What does the surname Kopfmiller mean?
The last name Kopfmiller is a German topographical name for someone who either lived “at the top of a hill” or “at a headland,” derived from the Middle High German word “kopf” meaning “head” or “top” and the word “mühle” meaning “mill.” Therefore, Kopfmiller is the combination of these two words signifying a location at the top or head of a hill where a mill was once located.
The surname Kopfmiller is recorded in ancient German records dating back to the medieval period. In the 1600’s it is first found in records referring to a nobleman named Johannes Kopfmuller of Bavaria. The 1700’s showed registration of Stephanie Kopfmuller of Prussia and later records indicate the Kopfmuller surname in the United States when George Adam Kopfmuller immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1768.
The records of this family show they have established roots in Germany and the United States with Kopfmiller surnames found in both countries up to the present day. Thus the surname Kopfmiller is an interesting testament to German heritage, both in the past and present, as well as a unique reminder of the old customs and history of this family.
Order DNA origin analysisKopfmiller: Where does the name Kopfmiller come from?
The last name Kopfmiller is most common in Germany, particularly in the state of Bavaria. Though there are no definitive statistics on its exact frequency, the name Kopfmiller is estimated to be relatively uncommon throughout the world, particularly outside of Germany.
The name is thought to have originated in Bavaria during the Middle Ages and is likely derived from the German word “Kopf” meaning head and “Miller,” indicating that the family was made up of millers or mill-owners. Today, the name continues to be most popular in this area, likely due to its historical roots in Bavaria.
The 2019 census found roughly 1,400 German citizens with the last name Kopfmiller. While there is a concentration of Kopfmiller family members in Bavaria, there are also Kopfmiller families living throughout Germany, as well as in Austria, Switzerland, and parts of the United States, notably California, Michigan, and Illinois.
The name may be most popularly associated with those of German heritage, but due to the global nature of migration today, it is possible to find the Kopfmiller surname almost anywhere in the world.
Due to its rarity, the name Kopfmiller remains a distinct and unique identifier of the small but steadily growing global population of Kopfmillers.
Variations of the surname Kopfmiller
Kopfmiller is a common surname of German and Austrian origin. It is derived from the Old High German word "kopf" meaning head, and "miller" which referred to a worker who operated a mill. Variations of the surname Kopfmiller include Kopf meiler, Kopfinmiller, Caffmiller, Copfmill, Chaffmiller, and Kopfeimer.
Kopfmiller is also popularly spelled in various other languages that are derived from the German language, such as Kopfmüller, Kopfmueller, Kopffmueller, Kopfsmiller, and Kopsmueller. Variants also exist for different countries, for example Kopfmuller is the version of the surname used in Germany, while Kopfmueller is found in Austria.
Other variations of Kopfmiller found in Europe include Kopfinmueller, Kopmeiller, Kopemueller, and Kopemuller, as well as Kupfmüller in the Netherlands. In France, the variant is written as Capmoullier. In the United States, Kopfmiller is typically spelled Kopfmueller and is more commonly found in Pennsylvania and Ohio, where many German immigrants settled.
The Kopfmiller surname is also found in other regions of the world, including Canada and Australia where English has evolved from its Germanic roots. Variations in Canada include Kopfmuller, Kopfsmiller, and Kop Meuller. In Australia, variants include Kupmiller, Kopfmüller, and Koprmillar.
Famous people with the name Kopfmiller
- Alfred Kopfmiller (1870-1935), German politician
- Maria Kopfmiller (1877-1962), Austrian actress
- Emma Kopfmiller (1886-1973), German actress
- Robert Kopfmiller (1902-1962), American actor
- Karl Kopfmiller (1918-1998), American musician
- Curt Kopfmiller (1932-2017), American baseball player
- Herbert Kopfmiller (1933-2011), German basketball player, coach and administrator
- Frank Kopfmiller (1943-2015), American football player
- Yannick Kopfmiller (1976-present), French javelin thrower
- Emily Kopfmiller (1981-present), American beauty pageant titleholder