Mein

Mein is a German surname with multiple etymological origins. It is most commonly derived from the given name Meino, a short form of Germanic names containing the element megin meaning "power, strength" (from Proto-Germanic *mageną). The personal name itself traces back to Old German forms, such as Meine, which originally occurred as a Frisian short form of longer names like Meinolf or Meinhard.

Another possible origin, noted for the German surname, is from the adjective gemein (or mein in some dialects), meaning "mean, nasty" — possibly a nickname for someone with unpleasant characteristics. In the Dutch context, the name may also be a variant of Main, Mains, or the personal name Maino.

The surname Mein is also found in Scotland as a variant of Main, which itself derives from magan "strength" or from a place name. According to the United States Census (2010), Mein is the 37,076th most common surname, reported predominantly among White individuals. Variants of the name include Meindl and Mendel 2.

• Meaning: Derived from a nickname meaning "mean, nasty" or from a given name meaning "power, strength"
• Origin: German, Dutch, Scottish
• Type: Surname
• Usage: Germany, Netherlands, United States, Scotland