Burmeister
A German occupational surname meaning “town magistrate” or “mayor,” related to the office of burgomaster.
The #7,338 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,961 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Burmeister is an occupational surname built from German burg / Middle Dutch burch, meaning “town, borough, fortress,” plus Meister, “master.” In older German and Dutch usage, the related office-name Burgmeister or burgomaster referred to a municipal chief officer, especially a mayor or town head. The surname therefore originally identified someone who held, or was associated with, that civic office.
History
Historical surname dictionaries note the form as a German and Dutch civic-office name, with variants such as Burmester and Burgmeister. It is especially associated with northern German and Dutch naming traditions, where many surnames arose from offices and trades. In the United States, the name appears among immigrant families from German-speaking and Dutch-speaking areas.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The element meister in this surname is the same word that appears in many German titles and job names, meaning simply “master” or “chief.”
From the historical record
“New York,!.* Burmeister, Burmester.— Offic. * the mayor,' an importation. Dutch, burgomaster \ Ger. BArge- meister, London, i, i ; New York, 4, 3 ; Phila^”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)