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Show ContentsMeyer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Meyer Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Meyer

What does the name Meyer mean?

The ancestral home of the Meyer family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Meyer is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a mayor, or elected head of the community. The name stems from the German word "meier," meaning mayor.

Early Origins of the Meyer family

The surname Meyer was first found in southern Germany, where the family was anciently seated. The name referred at first to the representative of the lord of a manor, and later to the administrator or tenant of a small court.

Early History of the Meyer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meyer research. Another 287 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1363, 1400, 1618, 1643, 1646, 1650, 1653, 1689, 1712, 1713, 1725, 1760, 1763, 1786, 1825, 1832, 1845, 1847, 1849, 1857, 1870 and 1898 are included under the topic Early Meyer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meyer Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Meyer include Mayer, Maier, Meyer, Meier, Mayr, Meyr, Myer and many more.

Early Notables of the Meyer family

Prominent among members of the name Meyer in this period include

  • Conrad Meyer (1618-1689), a Swiss painter and engraver from Zurich
  • Hans Heinrich Meyer (1760-1832), a Swiss painter and close friend of Goethe
  • Karl Freidrich Meyer (1786-1870), a friend of Uhland, was known for his poetry about nature

Meyer World Ranking

In the United States, the name Meyer is the 216th most popular surname with an estimated 119,376 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Meyer is ranked the 648th most popular surname with an estimated 7,968 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Meyer is the 65th popular surname with an estimated 36,108 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Meyer as 652nd with 5,989 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Meyer as 459th with 1,505 people. 5 Netherlands ranks Meyer as 271st with 5,259 people. 6 South Africa ranks Meyer as 80th with 60,306 people. 7

Meyer migration to the United States +

German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Meyer surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Meyer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Adolf Meyer, who settled in New York city in 1661
  • Christopher Meyer, who landed in Delaware in 1693 8
Meyer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Abel Meyer, who arrived in New Jersey in 1709 8
  • Antony Meyer, who arrived in New York in 1709 8
  • Arent Meyer, who landed in New York in 1709 8
  • Bartel Meyer, who arrived in New York in 1709 8
  • Bastiaan Meyer, who landed in New York in 1709 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Meyer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Caspar Meyer, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 8
  • Ann Charlotte Meyer, who landed in New York, NY in 1840 8
  • Casper Meyer, aged 36, who arrived in Missouri in 1844 8
  • Mr. Conrad Meyer, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Weser" in 1844
  • Mrs. Meyer, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Weser" in 1844
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Meyer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Dietrich Meyer, who landed in Alabama in 1918 8

Meyer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Meyer Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Barbara Meyer, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Conrad Meyer, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Mr. John Adolphus George Meyer U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 9

Meyer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Meyer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Ellis Meyer a teacher, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 10
  • Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 11
  • Augustus Meyer, aged 24, a clerk, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Pauline" 12
  • R.W. Meyer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Steinwaerder" 13
  • Otto Meyer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Malvina Vidal"

Meyer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Meyer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charles Meyer, aged 17, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
  • Herbert Meyer, aged 18, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
  • Miss Louisa Meyer, (b. 1846), aged 22, British general servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January1869 14

Contemporary Notables of the name Meyer (post 1700) +

  • Joseph E. "Joey" Meyer (1949-2023), American professional basketball coach and head basketball coach of the DePaul Blue Demons from 1984 to 1997 and the Asheville Altitude in the NBA Development League (NBADL) from 2001 to 2005
  • Kathryn Diane "Katie" Meyer (2000-2022), American soccer player who played as goalkeeper for the Stanford University's Stanford Cardinal women's soccer team (2019-2022)
  • Natalie Meyer (1930-2021), American politician who served as the Secretary of State of Colorado from 1983 to 1995
  • Stephanie Meyer (b. 1973), née Morgan, American novelist, best known for the Twilight saga series
  • John Edwin Meyer (1942-2020), American professional football player and assistant coach with the Oilers, New England Patriots and Detroit Lions
  • Edward Charles "Shy" Meyer (1928-2020), United States Army general who served as the 29th Chief of Staff of the United States Army
  • Ron Meyer (1941-2017), American college and head coach of Southern Methodist University
  • Brigadier-General Vincent Meyer (1889-1974), American Member of Allied Control Council Berlin (1945) 15
  • Brigadier-General Henry John Dick Meyer (1899-1972), American Commanding Officer Artillery, 2nd Division (1946-1948) 16
  • Major-General George Ralph Meyer (1886-1961), American Commanding General Anti-Aircraft Command (1945-1946) 17
  • ... (Another 71 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mr. Jurg Meyer (d. 1979), Swedish passenger, from Switzerland aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 18
Bismarck
  • Wilhelm Meyer (1922-1941), German Matrose II who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • Willy Meyer (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • Theodor Meyer (1918-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • Richard Meyer (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • Rudolf Meyer (1918-1941), German Maschinenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • ... (Another 6 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. August Meyer (d. 1912), aged 31, English Second Class passenger from Harrow, London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 20
  • Mrs. Leila Meyer, (née Saks), aged 25, American First Class passenger from New York City, New York who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 6 20
  • Mr. Edgar Joseph Meyer (d. 1912), aged 28, American First Class passenger from New York City, New York who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 20
SS Atlantic
  • August Meyer, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Augusta Meyer, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Mr. Heinrich Meyer, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Louise Meyer, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
USS Indianapolis
  • Charles Thomas Meyer (1926-1971), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 21

Suggested Readings for the name Meyer +

  • Genealogy of the Meyers Family by I. Austin Meyers.
  • The Meyer Family: Master Potters of Texas by Georgeanna H. Greer.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  10. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837Navarino.htm
  11. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PAULINE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Pauline.htm
  13. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEINWARDER 1849 aka STEINWAERDER. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Steinwarder.htm
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2013, May 9) Vincent Meyer. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Meyer/Vincent/USA.html
  16. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2013, May 9) Henry Meyer. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Meyer/Henry_John_Dick/USA.html
  17. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2013, May 9) George Meyer. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Meyer/George_Ralph/USA.html
  18. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  19. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  20. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  21. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew
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