Surname Grasmair - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Grasmair: What does the surname Grasmair mean?
Grasmair is a German surname. It is the combination of two parts, "Grah" and "Smair", which mean "gray" and "power", respectively. The name likely originated from a family of warriors, land owners, or some other prominent people. These individuals would have been known for their strength, courage, and determination.
Grasmair is known for being one of the oldest surnames in Germany, having been in use since the Middle Ages. It is most commonly found in West and South Germany. In addition, many Germans who have moved to other parts of the world still carry this surname, such as those who have emigrated to the United States.
The meaning of the name Grasmair is clear. It is the combination of two separate parts, "Grah" and "Smair", which respectively mean "gray" and "power". It is likely that this combination was chosen by those who adopted the surname to denote a person of strength, courage, and determination. Grasmair is still a common surname in Germany today, and those who bear it can be proud of its long and storied history.
Order DNA origin analysisGrasmair: Where does the name Grasmair come from?
The last name Grasmair is most commonly found in German-speaking countries, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Additionally, there are a few thousand bearers of this surname living throughout Europe and in large diaspora communities in North America.
The roots of Grasmair lie in Bavaria, which lies in the south of Germany near Austria. This surname is a variation of an older German-language surname, Gramaser, which appears to derive from a Middle High German word meaning ‘land owner’. As such, the Grasmair surname was originally held by families that owned farmland or were otherwise engaged in agriculture.
It is likely that bearers of this surname moved away from Bavaria in the late 19th century and early 20th century, for economic and political reasons. Many of these emigrants settled in other parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, while others emigrated to countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Today, this name is associated with these countries as well as with its original German-speaking haunts.
Variations of the surname Grasmair
The surname Grasmair is believed to be of German origin, and has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Variant spellings of the surname include Grassmayr, Grasmeyer, Graesmeyer, Grasmeyer, Grasmair, Grassmeier, Grasmayer, and Grassmaire. Surnames of the same origin include Greismeier, Grasmuehl, Grasmeyer, and Greismeier.
Grasmeier is a variant that is derived from the Middle High German term "gras", which means grass. This could be a nickname for someone who lived close to a meadow or a grassland. Other variants such as Grasmayer and Grassmaire could be derived from the Middle High German terms "gras" and "meier", meaning either one who lives on a meadow or a steward in charge of a meadow.
The variations Grasmeyer and Graesmeyer are slightly different in orthography. The "ae" mutation was commonly used during the Middle High German period in southern German dialects, with the "ä" character used for northern German dialects.
The surname Greismeier is derived from the Old High German term "greisa", meaning "grey" or "mature", and is likely to be a nickname given to an older person. The variant Grasmuehl likely also arises from the Middle High German "gras" and "muehl", meaning someone associated with a meadow or mill. Lastly, Greismeier is a variant of the Old High German term "greisa" combined with "meier", which combines to mean an older man in charge of a meadow.
Famous people with the name Grasmair
- Erwin Grasmair: Austrian ski mountaineer
- Christina Grasmair: Austrian broadcaster
- Barbarina Grasmair: Austrian funambulist
- Valentin Grasmair: Austrian adventure skier
- Josef Grasmair: Austrian politician
- Catherine Grasmair: Austrian philanthropist
- Maurice Grasmair: Austrian artist
- Alice Grasmair: Austrian businesswoman
- Anna Grasmair: Austrian neuroscientist
- Lukas Grasmair: Austrian footballer