Surname Rothmair - Meaning and Origin
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Rothmair: What does the surname Rothmair mean?
Rothmair is a German surname of noble origin and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Germanic words ‘roth’, meaning ‘red’, and ‘mair’, or ‘major’, which implies ‘great’. The literal interpretation of Rothmair, therefore, is ‘Great Red’, suggesting that those who adopted the name were of noble status, likely of the landed gentry.
Such surnames were common in medieval Germany, indicative of the strong tradition of heraldry in the region. The adoption of surnames would traditionally take place earlier amongst the more affluent families and thus the surname Rothmair would have been associated with significant wealth which, in turn, would have contributed to the social status associated with the family.
Although there have been a number of variations of the surname over the years, including Rotemeyer, Rothmeyer and Rothmaier, Rothmair remains one of the more popular surnames in modern-day Germany. It is not, however, exclusive to German-speaking countries. Rothmair is now found across Europe, as well as in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.
Order DNA origin analysisRothmair: Where does the name Rothmair come from?
Rothmair is a German surname and seems to be most common in that region of the world. It can be found in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, as well as in smaller populations in Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and the United States. In Germany, the majority of Rothmair’s live in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg, and records first documenting the surname began in the 12th century near Cologne.
In the United States, most people with the surname moved from Germany in the late 19th century and are located predominately in the Midwest and California. Texas and Pennsylvania also have notable settlements of people with the surname.
The name is not especially common, but documented instances of the name around the world suggest that many Rothmair’s are part of a large network who share common heritage and history. Nowadays, if you come across someone with the Rothmair name, its probable that they have ancestry stemming from an area near Germany.
Variations of the surname Rothmair
Rothmair is a German and Austrian surname that derives from the Middle High German word "Rotmair" or "Rottmeier". The meaning of this name is "red moor" or "red farmers". The Rothmair surname is found throughout Europe, particularly in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Variations of the surname Rothmair include Rottmeier, Rothmeier, Rotmeyer, Rotmayr, and Rotmair. In contrast to other German names, the word with an "o" in between the "t" and the "m" became more popular in the Austrian and southern German regions.
In America, the spelling of Rothmair is sometimes seen as Rothemair, Rotemair, Rothemier, Rothmeier, and Rothemayr. This is most likely because the American spelling of surnames is often somewhat different than those found in Europe.
In the Netherlands, the spelling is usually Rotmaier. In Poland, the spelling is often seen as Rotmajer. In France, however, it is often spelled Rottemaire.
In each of these countries, there could potentially be additional variants of the Rothmair surname, particularly if different dialects have had an influence on the spelling. However, the most common spelling variations of the Rothmair surname all remain firmly rooted to the same Germanic surname origin.
Famous people with the name Rothmair
- Benedict Rothmair, German politician
- Christian Rothmair, German football player
- Gerhard Rothmair, German endocrinologist
- Andrew Rothmair, Canadian artist
- Friedrich Rothmair, German painter
- Mathias Rothmair, American architect
- Karl Rothmair, German actor
- Miguel Rothmair, Spanish researcher
- Muesumu Rothmair, Japanese singer
- Zoltan Rothmair, Hungarian composer