Surname Schickmair - Meaning and Origin
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Schickmair: What does the surname Schickmair mean?
The last name Schickmair is a German surname derived from the personal name “Schick”. The name Schick is derived from Old German and literally means “clever”, “tactful”, “shrewd”, or “provident”. The suffix “mair” (or “meier”) is the equivalent of “farmer” or “ husbandman” in English, and it indicates that the original bearer of the surname was likely a small farmer.
The surname Schickmair appears to have originated in the Southern German region of Bavaria, where it is still found today. Records of the surname date back to the 16th century, with the earliest known records of the Schickmair family naming the progenitor Konrad Schickmair of Bavaria in 1576.
Schickmair is an increasingly popular surname in Germany - according to Germany’s Central Institute of Genealogy, it is the 579th most common family name in that country. It is also common among German descendants in the United States, with the most consistent presence in the state of Pennsylvania.
The origin and meaning of the last name Schickmair indicate that the bearer of the name likely valued the concept of being industrious and resourceful; qualities that are still synonymous with the family name today.
Order DNA origin analysisSchickmair: Where does the name Schickmair come from?
The surname Schickmair is a German name meaning "Adroit" or "Sculptor". Various branches of the family have spread throughout the German-speaking countries and beyond.
Today, the surname Schickmair can be found predominantly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There is also a strong presence in the Netherlands and across the United States.
Within Germany, the frequency of the surname Schickmair is strongest in the state of Bavaria with an estimated 45,000 households bearing the name, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Berlin, and Baden-Württemberg.
In Austria, the surname Schickmair can be found mostly in Lower Austria and Carinthia, where more than 3000 households carry the name. In Switzerland, Schickmairs are most commonly found in the canton of Thurgau, in particular in the towns of Frauenfeld, Romanshorn, Sandhausen, and Wil.
The United States also has a decent concentration of Schickmairs, with Illinois, California, Wisconsin, and Iowa being the focal states.
It's also worth noting that the spelling of the name may vary somewhat from country to country. In the United States, for example, it is occasionally spelled "Shickmair". Likewise, in the Netherlands it is sometimes written as "Schikmair".
Variations of the surname Schickmair
The surname Schickmair is an anglicized version of the Germanic surname Schickmayer. This surname has many variants, spellings, and alternate forms, including Schickmaier, Schickmair, Schickmeyer, Schickmeir, Schick mayer, Schickmayer, Scheckmayer, Scheckmaier, and Scheckmeyer, among others.
Variants of the surname Schickmair often depend on where the family originates. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the most common variant is Schickmaier, while in Southern Germany, Austria, Slovakia and other parts of Eastern Europe, the variant is Schickmeyer.
In the United States, the primary spellings seen are Schickmair and Schickmayr. In some instances, the surbame may have been spelled Scheckmayer or Scheckmeyer.
When the surname Schickmair was adapted in other countries, such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the spelling usually changed to either Schickmayr and Schickmayer. In the United Kingdom, alternative spellings of the surname have included Shickmayer, Schickmaer, and Schickmaier.
In Germany and many parts of Europe, the surname Schickmair is also commonly seen in the form of a symbolic coat of arms, known as a family crest. This illustration of a family crest typically shows three black arrows pointing downwards and an oak tree in the center.
Overall, the surname Schickmair is derived from a Germanic name and has many variants and other surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Schickmair
- Alexander Schickmair: is an Austrian composer and bassoonist.
- Philipp Schickmair: is an Austrian sportsperson who participated in the 2006 Olympics as a cross-country skier.
- Wilfried Schickmair: is an Austrian modern pentathlete who participated in the 1984 Olympics.
- Corinna Schickmair: is an Austrian professional golfer who has won several Austrian amateur golf tournaments.
- Thomas Schickmair: is an Austrian modern pentathlete who competed in the 1976 and 1984 Olympics.
- Otto Schickmair: is an Austrian modern pentathlete who participated in the 1968 Olympics.
- Elizabeth Schickmair: is an Austrian-American academic who is the dean of the School of Mines at the Goetheanum University.
- Siegfruid Schickmair: is an Austrian architect and professor of architecture at the University of Innsbruck.
- Peter Schickmair: is an Austrian composer and conductor of classical music.
- Erwin Schickmair: is an Austrian actor who has appeared in several German films.