Bachmeier

Etymology

Bachmeier is a German surname of topographic and occupational origin. It derives from Middle High German bach meaning "stream" and meier meaning "steward" or "tenant farmer," originally referring to a farmer whose land or farmhouse was located beside a stream. The surname is thus a compound of bach and meier, common elements in German surnames.

Notable Bearers

• Adolph Bachmeier (1937–2016), American-Romanian soccer player
• Hank Bachmeier (born 1999), American football quarterback
• Jacob Bachmeier (born 1998), American politician from Montana
• Marianne Bachmeier (1950–1996), West German woman who gained notoriety as a vigilante killer after shooting her daughter's murderer in court

Distribution

The surname Bachmeier is most common in Germany, particularly in Bavaria and the southern regions, reflecting its Alemannic or Bavarian dialect roots. It also appears among German emigrant communities in the United States.

Related Surnames

A closely related form is Bachmayer, a variant spelling. Other topographic and occupational compounds with bach include Bachmann and Bachhuber.

• Meaning: farmer by the stream
• Origin: German
• Type: Topographic and occupational surname
• Usage regions: Germany (especially Bavaria), United States