Surname Schmehr - Meaning and Origin
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Schmehr: What does the surname Schmehr mean?
The last name Schmehr is a German surname, deriving from the Old High German words ‘schmear’ and ‘her’, meaning 'protector' or 'guardian'. It is a very old name, being present in Germany since the time of Charlemagne and possibly before, with many variants such as Schmir, Schmier, Schmuhl or Schmoltz. The origin of the Schmehr name is associated with protection and guardianship.
Schmehr families were typically large and extended, with many members of the same family living in close proximity. Since the time of Charlemagne, the Schmehrs were known for their strong sense of family and community. This strong sense of communal values and support extended to the worldly level, where Schmehr families played an important role in the development of cities and villages.
Over time, the Schmehr surname spread across many European countries. Eventually, Schmehr’s made their way to America, where their unique Germanic last name is now found in many places across the country.
In summary, the last name Schmehr is an old German name that is believed to have derived from the words for ‘protector’ or ‘guardian’. It carries with it a strong sense of family values, communal support and guardianship. Today, the Schmehr surname is found all across the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmehr: Where does the name Schmehr come from?
The last name Schmehr is commonly found today in the United States and Canada, particularly among those with German ancestry. In the United States, the largest concentration of the Schmehr surname can be found in Pennsylvania, followed by California, Illinois, Ohio, and New York. The greatest concentration in Canada is centered around Ontario.
In Europe, the Schmehr name is used primarily in Germany. Schmehr is the German spelling, but variants of the name are also found in other countries, such as Schmeer in The Netherlands and Schmerer in Switzerland.
The Schmehr surname can also be found in small numbers in other European countries such as Austria, France, and Hungary. As a result, the Schmehr surname is quite rare in many places, although it is still quite common in areas with a large German or Eastern European population.
The origin of the Schmehr name is rooted in Germanic language, with 'schmehr' meaning 'smith' or 'metalworker'. It is thought that Schmehr originally referred to an ancestor who worked as a blacksmith. Given the popularity of the name among those of German descent, this is likely to be the surname's origin.
Variations of the surname Schmehr
The surname Schmehr is of Germanic, Jewish, and Slavic origin, which often takes many spellings and variants. Common variants of Schmehr include Schmerer, Schmerer, Schmiar, Schmiar, Schmir, Schmir, Schmirar, Schmirrer, Schmeir, Schmeirre, Scheir, Scheirre, Scheirer, Scheyrer, Schmitt, and Schmieder.
Jewish variants of the surname Schmehr include Schmeir, Schmeirre, Schmerer, Schmerer, and Schmiar. Schmeir and Schmeirre are German-Jewish variants of Schmehr originating in the Ashkenazi Jewish communities. The spelling Schmerer is typically found in Southwest Germany. Schmiar is an Austrian version of the name that was most common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In Slavic countries, the surname is spelled Schmier, Schmir, Schmirar, Schmirrer, and Scheyrer. These spellings are typical in Prussia, Poland, Russia, and Czechoslovakia.
Schmitt and Schmieder are variants derived from the Middle High German words "schmit" and "schmid", meaning "blacksmith". These variants were found in southwest Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Overall, while there are many variations and spellings of the surname Schmehr, all have the same origin and refer to the same family.
Famous people with the name Schmehr
- John Schmehr: professional baseball player who played for the Cleveland Spiders in 1890.
- Georg Schmehr: German painter and lithographer who was part of the Nazarene school of painters during the 19th century.
- Franz Schmehr: Austrian actor and set designer active in the 1960s and 70s.
- Martha Schmehr: British landscape painter active in the early 1900s.
- Richard Schmehr: noted French printmaker active in the mid-1960s.
- Ethel Schmehr: American musician who developed an interest in concertos and recitals during the 1940s.
- Arnold Schmehr: German professor of economics who wrote “The International Economic Position of Germany” in 1908.
- Kaspar Schmehr: American surfer and extreme sports athlete who holds several world records in big wave surfing.
- Bob Schmehr: American radio personality active in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 70s and 80s.
- Inge Schmehr: Danish journalist active in the 1950s and 60s.