Surname Unterer - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'U'
Unterer: What does the surname Unterer mean?
The last name Unterer is a German surname believed to have originated in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the word “unteren,” which means “lower” or “underneath,” and it is thought to have originally been used to refer to someone who lived near an area that was lower than others. The suffix “er” placed behind the word denoted someone who lived in or belonged to a particular place or group.
Over time, the Unterer surname spread throughout Europe and was used in various nations, from Lithuania to the Czech Republic. It eventually made its way to the United States as well, where it has been in use for many generations.
The general meaning of the Unterer surname remains true today: an individual who is "under" or "beneath" a certain class or hierarchy. The name could also be connected to locations, such as towns located in valleys or in mountainous regions. It is possible that a man named Unterer could have been a farmer or a tradesman working in a lower-income, rural part of the population.
The name Unterer may not be as common as other German surnames, but its unique meaning reflects a rich history and tradition. Although the Unterer name has evolved over time, its etymology and symbolism remain quite distinct in contrast to many other surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisUnterer: Where does the name Unterer come from?
The last name Unterer is most commonly found in Germany today, with the majority located in southern Bavaria. The name is believed to originate from the Middle High German 'onder', which translates into 'under' in modern English. The use of this variation in surnames likely developed as a reference to the area 'under' the hills and valleys of the local landscape. The use of Unterer as a surname thus likely came from a description of the identifying characteristics of an individual's home town, such as its location beneath the hills or in a valley.
The name also appears in North America, particularly in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as a result of immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is thought that the majority of immigrants to the United States bore the Unterer name, with many arriving from Darmstadt in 1853 and Bavaria in the 1880s.
Today, Unterer is a fairly common last name among German-Americans. It is believed to be one of the few German-origin surname to retain its popularity over centuries. The name is also popular in countries including, but not limited to, Italy, Switzerland, and Canada.
Variations of the surname Unterer
The surname Unterer has several variants of spellings and surnames with the same origin. Some variants of this surname include Unter, Unterr, Unterh, Unterre, Unterri, and Unterir; all of which have the same meaning of "Under".
The Untern surname is a variant of Unterer, which is most commonly found in Switzerland. It originated from Middle High German and is derived from the word "under" which refers to someone who is lower or beneath something.
The Unterr surname is a German variant of Unterer. This was a "place name" for someone who resided near a stream or under a hill. This surname is also commonly found in Switzerland as well.
The Unterh and Unterhe surnames are derivatives of Unterer that come from various places around Germany and Switzerland. These were also used to refer to people that lived near a specific person, place, or terrain feature.
The Unterre surname is primarily found in Switzerland and is a variant of Unterer. It is derived from the Latin word for "under" and is a variant of Unterr.
Lastly, the Unterri and Unterir surnames are related to the Unterer surname as well. These spellings are also found in Switzerland and Austria and are derived from the Middle High German word "under" which refers to someone below or beneath something else.
Famous people with the name Unterer
- Waldemar Unterer (1913: 2008), German Aircrew in World War 2
- Miriam Unterer (1928: 2016), Canadian-born American sculptor and artist
- Uwe Unterer (b. 1956), Austrian swimmer and Olympian
- Felix Unterer (b. 1997), German alpine skier
- Jacob Unterer (born c. 1825-1830), American landowner in Berkeley County, West Virginia
- Wilhelm Unterer (1820: 1876), German-born, American Civil War veteran
- Peter Unterer (1943: 2013), German football player
- Robert Unterer (born c. 1970-1975), German teacher and writer
- Clemency Unterer (born c. 1970-1975), American lawyer and public defense advocate
- Hubert Unterer (born c. 1955), German sculptor and artist