Surname Heinemeyer - Meaning and Origin

Heinemeyer: What does the surname Heinemeyer mean?

Heinemeyer is a German surname derived from the Old High German personal name Heimohard, a combination of the elements heim, meaning "home" or "domain," and ahd, meaning "sword" or "power." The name is thought to have been applied to individuals with a special prowess as a swordsman.

Heinemeyer likely emerged as a family name during the Middle Ages, when many hereditary surnames were created. It was common for people to refer to themselves by their place of residence, or by their occupation. During this period, the Heinemeyer family was found in the Lower Saxony region of Germany.

Heinemeyer is a rare surname. In Germany, there were just 28 individuals with the name in 2005, and just 19 individuals in 2015. Outside of Germany, there were 59 people living in the United States with the surname in the 2000 Census. Only seven people were found in Canada.

Ultimately, the Heinemeyer surname is associated with an individual who was skilled with a sword. It is a unique name that is closely tied to a particular region of Germany, but is also found in other parts of the world.

Heinemeyer: Where does the name Heinemeyer come from?

The last name Heinemeyer is most commonly found in Germany and the Netherlands today. In Germany, the surname is mainly concentrated in the western parts of North Rhine-Westphalia which borders the Netherlands, while in the Netherlands it is mainly found in the northern regions. According to the United States Census Bureau, around 14,800 people share the last name in the United States.

The first known ancestor of the Heinemeyer family was one Bernhard Heinemeyer who was born in Nordhorn, Germany in the 17th century. The surname is derived from the German personal name Heino, meaning “house father”. Other variations of the family name include Heinemeyer, Heinmeyer, and Heinenmeyer.

The Heinemeyer family is also known for their architecture and engineering accomplishments, both in Germany and in the United States. Much of the still-standing German architecture in the Rhine-Westphalia region was built by the Heinemeyer family, while the family was also responsible for designing many of the lighthouses in the United States.

Today, many Heinemeyers continue to make their mark on architecture and engineering, affirming the family’s long-standing passion for construction and engineering excellence. There are those, however, who have opted to pursue completely different career paths, making their mark in fields like medicine, law, and business. Whatever their chosen profession, Heinemeyers are still clustered together in many parts of the world, proudly carrying their family’s namesake with them.

Variations of the surname Heinemeyer

Heinemeyer is an Austrian surname derived from the Old German name 'Hein' (high, noble) and 'meiger' (mayor), meaning “highest mayor.” Over time, the name has been adapted and altered slightly in different languages and regions; however its original spelling is Heinemeyer.

Variants of the name include Heimmeyer, Heimmeiger, Heynee, Henne, Heinemeier, Heinemann, Heinemannn, Heiny, Heynemann, Heinemyer, Haynemann, Heymann, Heimman and Heymayer.

The Heinemeyer surname can be found throughout Europe. In Germany and Austria, the name is most often spelled Heinemeier, while in Flemish regions of Belgium and the Netherlands, the name is Heynemann. In France, the name is often Heynemann, and in Switzerland, Heimmeiger.

In the United States, the original spelling is often used interchangeably with other spellings—especially Heineman and Heinemann—which largely depend on the preferences of a specific family line.

The name has also been used as a patronymic surnames. In such cases, Heinemeyers might bear the surnames Heinemeyersson (Denmark), Heinemeiersen (Norway), or Heimmeierszoon (The Netherlands).

Famous people with the name Heinemeyer

• Hermann Heinemeyer, German astronomer
• Emil Heinemeyer, German physicist
• Bruce Heinemeyer, American physicist and chemist
• Dietmar Heinemeyer, German entrepreneur and software executive
• Lars Heinemeyer, German record producer and sound engineer
• Henning Heinemeyer, German singer-songwriter
• Nicholas Heinemeyer, American actor
• Wilma Heinemeyer, Dutch author and humanitarian
• Johannes Heinemeyer, German theologian, preacher, and professor
• Chris Heinemeyer, American rallying driver

Other surnames

Heinemeier