Surname Pflaumer - Meaning and Origin

Pflaumer: What does the surname Pflaumer mean?

The last name Pflaumer is of German origin and is derived from Lower Saxony, where it is believed to have originated. It is an occupational name, derived from the words "Pflaum" meaning plum, and "er" meaning one who works or makes. This suggests that this family are historically related to the cultivation or production of plums.

This family name can also be seen in some Spanish variants as ‘Pflaum’, or the French as ‘Pfluaume’ and the Swiss German variants as ‘Pfloum’, all of which point to a common origin. According to records, the Pflaumer family were in existence in Germany since the 15th Century.

Records suggest that the Pflaumer family immigrated to the United States in the late 19th Century, and began to populate the South East, specifically Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina and Tennessee.

Today, the name Pflaumer is often associated with areas around Pennsylvania, where many of the first Pflaumers to arrive in the United States were from. It is estimated that there are roughly five-thousand people in the United States with the last name Pflaumer, with multiple generations of the family living in and around this area of the US.

Pflaumer: Where does the name Pflaumer come from?

The last name Pflaumer is most common in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Since its introduction in the 8th century, the surname has since spread across the globe, taking root in many countries.

In Germany, the name is thought to have originated in the Rhineland region and is most prevalent in North Rhine-Westphalia. It's also been in use in the Netherlands since the 17th century, with the majority of people bearing the name living in the North Brabant region. Meanwhile, in the United States, Pflaumer is believed to have first appeared in the latter half of the 19th century, specifically in Pennsylvania.

People bearing the surname can some can also be found scattered throughout England, Canada, France, Australia, South Africa, Austria, Russia, Switzerland, and even India. For example, after the Holocaust, some survivors of the Auschwitz concentration camp chose Pflaumer as their new name.

The Pflaumer spelling may vary country to country, often appearing as Pfleumer or Pfloeumer. It's thought to be derived from the Old High German word "fleim" which means a muddy, watery place, indicating that those bearing the name may have originated from a marshy and wet area.

The surname Pflaumer is still very much in use across the world with no sign of it fading away anytime soon.

Variations of the surname Pflaumer

The surname Pflaumer is a German name shared by a few families. It is mainly found in the Bavaria region of Germany, especially in the city of Nuremberg. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Pflaumer include Flaumer, Flömer, Flehmer, Flehmer, Fleamer, and Fleamer.

The name Pflaumer is derived from the Middle High German word 'flome' which means riverbank. The literal translation of Pfleaumer is "dweller by a river". It was derived as a toponymic name for families who lived by a river.

In addition to the aforesaid spellings of Pflaumer, there are also surnames with the same origin and similar pronunciation that have evolved from Pflaumer in various other countries. In Austria, the variants are Pflammerl, Pflamberger and Pfleumermandl whereas in Hungary, it is Flehmér and its variants Flehmérj, Flehmérí. The Polish variant of the name is Flehmer, whereas in the Czech Republic, it is Pflamer and in the Netherlands, it is Vlamer.

In the United States, many families who originally came from Germany have adopted variations of the name Pflaumer and some of these include Flanemore, Flumerfelt, Flehmer, Flanamore and Flemmer.

Therefore, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Pflaumer include Flaumer, Flömer, Flehmer, Flehmer, Fleamer, Fleamer, Pflammerl, Pflamberger, Pfleumermandl, Flehmér, Flehmérj, Flehmérí, Flehmer, Pflamer, Vlamer, Flanemore, Flumerfelt, Flanamore, and Flemmer.

Famous people with the name Pflaumer

• Imke Duplitzer: German actress best known for her role as the daughter of police inspector Grote in the TV series Der Alte
• Matthias Pflaumer: German musician and artist
• Bruce Pflaumer: American National Football League running back
• Richard Pflaumer: German architect and urban planner
• Henry Pflaumer: American businessman and philanthropist
• Ulf Pflaumer: German businessman and politician
• Alfred Pflaumer: German artist and photographer
• Paul Pflaumer: German actor, director and producer
• Gus Pflaumer: American lawyer, judge, politician and conservationist
• Bodo Pflaumer: German actor and director

Other surnames

PflaumPflaumannPflaumbaumPflaumePflaumenbaum

Comments or additions to the name "Pflaumer"

04.01.2024
To start with, I am a member of the Pflaumer family and bear this name. I am German ans live in Germany.
The origin and history of this name is documented by research done for a family book from the 1930s which I possess. All of the above explanations for the origin of the name Pflaumer are wrong, both with regard to the meaning and with regard to the regional origin.
Correct is that the name is mainly found in the south of Germany, mainly in Bavaria and in Baden-Wuerttemberg but in the 20th and 21st century it has become more widespread.