Surname Roßmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Roßmeier: What does the surname Roßmeier mean?
The last name Roßmeier is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle High German words "roß" or "ruoz" meaning "horse" and "meiere" meaning "servant, magistrate, or foreman." The combination thus gives the literal meaning of "horse servant," "horse magistrate," or "horse foreman" and most likely originates from a person who kept horses, worked as a horse driver, or held a position of authority over horses in medieval Germany. In German, the surname is usually spelled with double "s" and can also be found as Rossmeier or Rosmeier in other countries.
Originally, many individuals with this surname likely held jobs related to horses, such as tending to them, caring for them, transporting goods and passengers with them, or even competing in equestrian activities like horse racing and riding tournaments. During the Middle Ages, horses were largely used as a form of transportation and hence, someone with the last name Roßmeier likely had responsibility for horses due to their importance in Medieval Europe.
In modern times, the surname Roßmeier has most likely been passed down from generation to generation and no longer directly relates to the occupation of keeping horses. However, it still remains a reminder of the individuals who most likely held the position of horse keeper or horse driver back in the Middle Ages.
Order DNA origin analysisRoßmeier: Where does the name Roßmeier come from?
The last name Roßmeier is most commonly found in Germany. It is likely the surname derived from the German word "Roß" which means "horse." In Germany the surname Roßmeier is most common in the state of Bavaria, but can also be found in lower numbers in other areas of the country.
As of 2014, there were approximately 6,000 individuals with the surname Roßmeier in Germany. Outside of Germany, the surname Roßmeier is also relatively common in Switzerland, where it is the 517th most common surname nationally. Other countries with moderately high numbers of people with the last name Roßmeier include Austria, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, France, and the Netherlands.
In the United States, the number of people with the last name Roßmeier is more limited. As of the most recent census, there were only 253 individuals with the last name in the United States. Those with the last name are mainly concentrated in northern Ohio, with other higher concentrations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois.
The last name Roßmeier is also found in other parts of the world, including countries in Latin America such as Costa Rica and Panama, and in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of Europe. The numbers of individuals with the last name, however, remain significantly lower in these countries.
Variations of the surname Roßmeier
The surname Roßmeier is an old Germanic surname derived from the German name Rossmeier. It is believed to have first appeared in Prussia and has since seen many variants, spellings, and surnames stemming from it. The most common variant spelling is Rossmeier; other possible spellings include Rossmaer, Roossmeier, Rossmayer, Rossmeyer, Rassmaier, Rasmeier, Rosmaier, Rößmaier, Reismeier, Reissmeier, and Resmaier.
The surname has also seen different cognomens deriving from the Rossmeier variants over the centuries. For example, there was once a Prussian family who took the spelled version Roßmaier as their family name, and then later changed it to Roßmeier. The original, more common spelling Rossmayer is believed to have been adopted by the family of pastor Gottfriedimmer Roßmayer from Silesia in the 19th century.
Variants unique to Germany include the surnames Roßmüller, Roßner, Roßnaer, and Rossnagel. Additionally, some contemporary German variants of Roßmaier, inclue Rößmaier, Rösmaier, and Rasmaier. Within the United States, the surnames Rossmiller and Rosmeir are both derivatives of the same surname.
Overall, the surname Roßmeier has seen many different origins, spellings, variants, and surnames throughout history, all deriving from the same root name. Although the original spelling can be found in Germany, Austria, and several other parts of Europe. As the surname was adopted by those migrating to the United States, several distinct cognomens in the form of modern spellings emerged.
Famous people with the name Roßmeier
- Georg Roßmeier, the German classical philologist, bishop and political historian
- Franz Roßmeier, a German football manager and former player
- Fabian Roßmeier, a German footballer
- Michael Roßmeier, a German visual artist and photographer
- Patrick Roßmeier, a German footballer and youth-national coach
- Benjamin Roßmeier, a German football forward
- Felicitas Roßmeier, a German athlete who specializes in the long jump
- Simone Roßmeier, a German footballer
- Florian Roßmeier, a German actor
- Sven Roßmeier, a German actor
- Adolf Roßmeier, a German bicycle racer
- Alexander Roßmeier, a German footballer
- Lothar Roßmeier, a German cyclist
- Maximilian Roßmeier, a sculptor from Munich
- Tanja Roßmeier, a German Paralympic champion swimmer
- Matthias Roßmeier, a psychologist and professor of psychiatry at the University of Tübingen
- Lucas Roßmeier, a German tech entrepreneur
- Silke Roßmeier, an international football referee
- Tina Roßmeier, a German Paralympic cyclist
- Lukas Roßmeier, a German footballer