Surname Reitmaier - Meaning and Origin

Reitmaier: What does the surname Reitmaier mean?

The last name Reitmaier is derived from the German surname Reitmeier, which is made up of two elements - "reiten" meaning "to ride" and "meier" meaning steward. This suggests that the original bearers of the name were stewards of horse-owners.

It is believed that the surname Reitmaier (or variants thereof, such as Reitmeier) were first found in the Rhineland region of Germany, and is a ‘status’ surname, originally given to a court or family steward who was in charge of the king or lord’s horses. The surname soon spread to other regions, including Bavaria, Swabia, and Austria, and can now be found in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Reitmaier is a fairly unusual name, but is still found in various parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It can also be found in the United States, although in much smaller numbers. Despite its relatively small population, the Reitmaier surname is still popular in various parts of the world, and is a testament to the craft and position of those who first bore the name.

Reitmaier: Where does the name Reitmaier come from?

The last name Reitmaier is primarily found in Germany. It is more commonly found in the southern regions of the country, especially Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. The name is derived from the German word ‘Reit’ which means to ride, and ‘maier’ which refers to a local official or mayor. Therefore, the literal translation of the name would be “a mayor who rides”, likely referring to someone in a high-ranking position who was trusted enough to hold a horse and horseback journey for the local people.

As of 2019, the last name Reitmaier is ranked as Germany’s 3,203rd most popular last name. It is not common outside of Germany, although it does have some international presence. Small pockets of the Reitmaier family can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, and countries within Central and South America. Most of these emigrants originated from Germany and Austria in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Reitmaier remains a popular name within Germany, and the number of bearers of the name continues to grow. As of 2019, there are over 10,000 people with the surname Reitmaier living within Germany. The name is slowly gaining recognition outside of its traditional region, as more Reitmaiers emigrate to foreign countries.

Variations of the surname Reitmaier

The Reitmaier surname is derived from a German occupational name for someone who walled fences for horse corrals, or was a carter or cartwright. The Reitmaier surname is found in many forms, including Reitmeir, Reytemaier, Reitmyer, Retemeyer, Reitemeyer, Reitmeier, Reitmeyer, and Reitemer. The surname is found in records from sources in German-speaking countries as early as 1407.

In the United States, the surname Reitmaier has anglicized spellings such as Retmaier and Retmeyer. The name Reitmaier was particularly frequent in the New York locality. It is also found throughout Europe, particularly in Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Variations of this surname from other languages include Raitmeier (Low German), Raytemeyer (Dutch), Reithmeier (Bavarian), Raitmaier (Flemish and French), Raittmeyer (Swiss German), Reitmayer (Czech), Raitmajer (Hungarian and Croatian), Reitemajer (Polish), Reitmajer (Yiddish), and Raytmyer (Russian).

Similar surnames include Raytmaier, Reitan, Reitano, Reitinger, Reiter, Reith, Reither, Reitz, Reth, Reither, Reutlinger, Reutemann, Reuter, Rytter, Ritter, Ratmeyer, Rettig, Rettig, Rethemeyer, Retter, Radtke, Rahtke, Rattini, Raht, Ratzenberger, and Aero.

Famous people with the name Reitmaier

• Stefan Reitmaier: German philosopher and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Freiburg.
• Brigitte Reitmaier: Austrian former figure skater who was an Olympic medalist and European and World champion.
• Reinhold Reitmaier: Austrian philosopher and theologian who was a professor of philosophy at the University of Vienna.
• Christian Reitmaier: German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union who was a Member of the Bundestag for 17 years.
• William Reitmaier: American actor, acting coach and co-owner of the Reitmaier Acting Studio in Hollywood, California.
• Ursula Reitmaier: German Olympic athlete who won two gold medals in the 400m and 800m events in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
• Robert Reitmaier: Austrian composer and winner of the Ernst Krenek Prize in 1997.
• Alexander Reitmaier: Swiss football player who currently plays midfield for FC St. Gallen.
• Lukas Reitmaier: Austrian ice hockey player who currently plays forward for the Vienna Capitals of the Austrian Hockey League.
• Julian Reitmaier: German football player who currently plays for Rot-Weiß Frankfurt of the Regionalliga Südwest.

Other surnames

Reitmair