Surname Kreittmayer - Meaning and Origin

Kreittmayer: What does the surname Kreittmayer mean?

The last name Kreittmayer is a Germanic name of Germanic origin, meaning a "cart maker." The name is derived from combining the German words kreut, meaning "cart," and Mayer, meaning "mayor," or "master of a trade."

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Kreittmayer family established itself as tradesmen as wheelwrights and cart makers. They produced wheeled carts of various sizes and designs, from the two-wheeled wagonette to the large eight-wheeled freight wagons, for hauling goods and merchandise. They also built light carts for carrying passengers, such as the Hansa-type wagon, an enclosed wooden box mounted on four wheels.

By the time of the Early Modern period, the name had spread across Europe and was widely used. It is now common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe, but it can also be found in the Americas, particularly in the United States.

Today, the Kreittmayer name is still associated with the skill of wheelwrighting, and members of the Kreittmayer family carry the tradition forward with pride. It is a reminder of a long and proud history of craftsmanship and dedication — a tradition that has stood strong and been passed down through the generations.

Kreittmayer: Where does the name Kreittmayer come from?

The surname Kreittmayer is most associated with the German-speaking region of Central Europe. Today, this surname is still relatively common across the region.

In Germany, the Kreittmayer surname appears in various areas. According to the 2017 German Family Name Atlas, the Kreittmayer surname was among the top 5% of surnames in the regions of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia, Thuringia, and Saxony. Similarly, it appears over 10 times per million in Bavaria andmore than 5 times per million in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Lower Saxony.

The surname is also popular in Austria and Switzerland. According to the 2016 distribution of surnames in Austria, the Kreittmayer surname was among the top 5%, appearing in all 9 federal states. In Switzerland, the surname appears over 5 times per million.

Elsewhere in Europe, the surname is uncommon. It does appear several times per million in the Czech Republic, Poland, Luxembourg, and Hungary. In Scandinavia, however, the surname is uncommon. The surname does not appear at all in the Netherlands, Denmark, or Sweden.

Outside of Europe, the surname is also uncommon. While the surname does appear in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, it is not among the top 1,000 surnames in any of these countries. Interestingly, the surname does appear several times per million in Brazil, India, Mexico, and Russia.

Overall, the Kreittmayer surname is still relatively common today in select areas of Central Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Outside of this region, however, the name is far less common.

Variations of the surname Kreittmayer

The surname Kreittmayer is a German name derived from the Middle High German words "kriehte" or "krichte" meaning "town dweller" and "Mayer" meaning "mayor". It may also be spelled as Krietmayer, Kreitmeyer, Kreitmayer, Kreithmayer, Kreitmair, Kreutmeier, Krietmeier, Krutmeir, Krietmair and Kreitmaier.

In the 17th Century during times of great political change in Germany a great number of spellings of the Kreittmayer surname emerged. This was due to the circulating powers in the German empire such as Austria, Prussia, Bavaria and others which all inflicted their own language and spelling of the surname. Many families that previously followed the same language and surname suddenly began to adopt different names which were influenced by the specificity of each regional dialect and language.

It is known that many variants of the Kreittmayer surname featured variants of the ending "-mayer" such as "-meyer" and "-maier". Other variants had a suffix such as "-meier" and "-mair". In some region, many of these suffixes were interchangeable even during the same time period. Additionally, some families may have adopted totally different endings to their surname such as prefixes "-kraut" and "-kreutz" which both mean "cabbage" in Germany.

Finally, the most common spellings of the Kreittmayer name today can depend on where the family is located throughout Germany. For example, the Northern region of Germany commonly uses the "Kreutzmeyer" spelling while the Bavarian region prefers to use the "Kreitmair" spelling.

Famous people with the name Kreittmayer

• Katharine Kreittmayer, American actress
• Chelsea Kreitmayer, Canadian singer
• Nicholas Kreitmayer, French pianist
• Joshua Kreitmayer, British record producer
• Derek Kreitmayer, American basketball player
• Claire Kreitmayer, German lawyer
• Dr. Paul Kreittmayer, Austrian neurologist
• Carl Kreittmayer, American businessman
• Peter Kreitmayer, Australian professor
• Kurt Kreittmayer, Swiss historian
• Friedrich Kreittmayer, German sculptor
• Bernhard Kreitmayer, German explorer
• Günter Kreittmayer, Austrian medic
• Alex Kreittmayer, Dutch television host
• Sylvia Kreittmayer, Israeli architect
• Oskar Kreittmayer, Czech poet
• Martin Kreittmayer, French politician
• Eddie Kreitmayer, Canadian film director
• Francine Kreitmayer, American astronomer
• Zena Kreittmayer, British fashion designer

Other surnames

Kreittmayr