Niemeyer
A German surname meaning “new farmer” or “new settler,” formed from words for “new” and “farmer.”
The #7,666 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,271 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Niemeyer is generally explained as a German compound built from Middle Low German or related dialect forms meaning “new” (nie/neu) and “farmer” or “tenant farmer” (Meier). The literal sense is therefore “new farmer,” often understood as someone newly established on a farm or newly taking over a holding. In some areas it could also imply a newcomer to a farming community rather than a hereditary occupational title.
History
The name is most closely associated with northern and northwestern Germany, where Low German forms were widespread. It belongs to a broader set of surnames beginning with Nie- that reflect the meaning “new” in regional German dialects. As with many German surnames, it later spread through migration to other countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -meyer is the same occupational element seen in many German surnames, including Meyer and Meier, which originally referred to a steward or farmer managing land.
From the historical record
“Nie- in. niederd. „neu*, in Zas. wie Nie- Becker, Niemann, Niemeyer u. a. Nieb- 8. Nid (V). Niebnhr s. Neubauer. Nieeke s. Nid (einst. E.). Nied- 8. Nid (V., einst. K.). Niedner III. ,, einer aus Nieden^^”
— Die deutschen FamiliennamenNotable people named Niemeyer
- Oscar Niemeyer (1907–2012)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.