Surname Nieder - Meaning and Origin
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Nieder: What does the surname Nieder mean?
Nieder is a last name of German origin, and is thought to derive from the Old German word ‘nieder', which means “lower” or “down”. It likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a low-lying area, such as in a valley or a low-lying town. Alternatively, it could have derived from a French personal name such as Nidalris, which is a Latinized form of a Germanic personal name composed of elements meaning “fearless” and “power”.
Nieder is generally found in European countries that were mostly German-speaking in the past, particularly Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. People with this surname typically lived in the same area for centuries, and the name passed down through generations. People with this name are usually proud of their German heritage.
Nieder is a common last name that spans across many cultures. In the United States, it can be many variations like Neader, Nadar, and Nadir. It’s often been thought to be a form of the German word "nieder," meaning "lower," which could be a name for someone who lived in a low-lying area.
In modern days, the name Nieder continues to grow in popularity. It is often found in European as well as American countries, with many descendants proud to carry their ancestral name.
Order DNA origin analysisNieder: Where does the name Nieder come from?
Nieder is a German name, derived from the word "nieder", which means "down." It is a relatively common surname throughout Europe today, and it is especially prevalent in countries where German is spoken.
In Germany, Nieder is the 84th most common surname. There are about 100,000 people currently living in Germany with this surname. It is likely that the vast majority of these people are of German descent, and many of them likely have ancestors who settled in Germany centuries ago.
In Austria, Nieder is the 66th most common surname with about 10,000 people currently living in the country with this name. Similarly, Swiss citizens with the name Nieder make up about 1.1 percent of the population.
In the United States, the last name Nieder is not as common as in other countries. It is the 5,234th most common last name on the U.S. Census. Despite being relatively rare, though, Nieder is still relatively well-represented in the U.S. with about 4,500 people sharing the name. Most of these people likely also descend from German immigrants.
Despite its German origin, the Nieder surname is also common in countries where German is not a primary language. This is most likely due to migration from German-speaking countries. For example, there are over 14,000 people living in France with the name Nieder, and over 8,000 people living in the Netherlands also with this surname.
Overall, Nieder is quite a common surname throughout Europe and also in the United States. It is especially prevalent in countries where German is spoken, but it is also common in countries where German is not the primary language due to migration from German-speaking countries.
Variations of the surname Nieder
The surname Nieder has several variations, spellings and alternate surnames. All of these are derived from the German term nieder, which translates as “lower” or “down.”
The most common spelling of Nieder is Nider, which is seen in both German and English. This variation of Nieder is also found as Nyinger in Austria, or Niederer in Switzerland.
The original German spelling of the surname Nieder also resulted in numerous variations. The most common variations include Niederreiter, Niedermaier, Niederländer, Niederriter, and Niederhofer. In some areas of Germany, the spelling Niederauer may also be seen.
In addition to these variations, variations on the name Nieder can also be found in nearby regions, such as Niederau in Austria and Ni(e)deregger in Switzerland.
Nieder is also found as a Jewish surname. In this case, the spelling may be seen as Nider, Nieder, Nyder, or Niederer.
In the United States, the surname Nieder is sometimes anglicized as Needer or Needham, resulting in surnames such as Neederberger or Neederhamer.
Other variations of Nieder include Niderreiter, Niedermaier, Niederriter, Niederhofer, Niederstadt, and Niederländer. In some cases, the surname Niedermayer can be found in German-speaking countries.
All of these variations, spellings and alternate surnames for Nieder are derived from the German term “nieder” which means “lower” or “down.”
Famous people with the name Nieder
- Simon Nieder: German stage and film actor
- Robert Nieder: Austrian footballer
- Arthur Nieder: 19th-century German artist
- Rolf Nieder: Swiss historian
- Axel Niedermeyer: German manager and entrepreneur
- Christof Nieder: Austrian footballer
- Ludwig Nieder: Austrian composer
- Ernst Nieder: 19th-century German composer
- Jon Nieder: American business executive
- Charles Nieder: Swiss abstract artist
- Friedrich Nieder: 18th-century German composer
- Steve Niedermeyer: American professional race car driver
- Michael Nieder: German journalist and political scientist
- Margarete Nieder: German-born American teacher
- Herbert Nieder: Austrian actor and playwright
- Catherine Nieder: French sprinter and Olympic athlete
- Christian Nieder: German composer and music publisher
- Gerhard Nieder: Austrian ice hockey goaltender
- Konstantin Nieder: Russian cellist
- Peter Nieder: German sculptor and printmaker