Surname Redmer - Meaning and Origin

Redmer: What does the surname Redmer mean?

The last name Redmer is of German origin, derived from the name of the ancient city of Redem in Saxony. It is likely that those with the name Redmer were related to those who lived in the city or in the region. The city’s name is a combination of two words, red, which means "snake" and mur or mar, which means "wall".

Originally, the name Redmer would have been used as an occupational name to denote individuals who worked in or near the city. Examples of such professions may have included merchants, traders and craftsmen.

Over time, the name has evolved into numerous versions of the original spelling, while still maintaining the same basic meaning. These variations include Redmer, Redmair, Redmar and Redmarz. It is also worth noting that the name might have been attributed to places other than Redem, for example, someone may have lived by a hill called "Redmar" or even a river called the "Redmer".

In short, the name Redmer denotes German ancestry and was originally attributed to someone who lived, worked, or had some connection to the ancient city of Redem.

Redmer: Where does the name Redmer come from?

The last name Redmer is most common in Germany today. It is especially well represented in the central-northwest region of the country, around cities like Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, and Berlin. The surname can be traced back to the middle ages when it was first recorded in 1269, recorded as "riedemer". Over time, the spelling has changed, with records using variants such as "Redemer", "Reddemann" and "Redmann".

Redmer is an occupational name which was given to someone who worked as a ream, a medieval form of a scribe who copied documents. It is assumed that the name originated from Middle High German "redeman" which translates to "scribe".

The population of the name Redmer is estimated to be between 16,000 and 19,000 in Germany today. It is considerably lesser than its peak in the 19th century, when there were more than 29,000 individuals carrying the surname. It is most common in Hamburg and its surrounding region, from where the surname spread to other regions in the country by migration.

Redmer is also common in other European countries, such as the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Austria. People with this surname have also migrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Variations of the surname Redmer

Redmer is a surname of German origin and typically is spelled with one 'd' and two 'e's. Other variations of the surname Redmer include Reimer, Reymer, Rehmer, Reimer, Reimers, Raimer, Ramer, Reimers, Remer, Redmair, Reidmarr, and Redmarr.

The surname Redmer is derived from the German words 'Rein' (meaning 'pure') and 'Mere' (meaning 'famous') and thus the literal translation of the name is 'famous or illustrious for being pure'. The name was commonly given to individuals who were recognized for their moral character, piety, and as a sign of endearment due to their pure nature.

Since the time of the first recording in Germany in the 13th century, the surname has spread throughout Europe, although it is most common in Germany and the United States. Specifically, the surname Redmer is reported to be the 248th most common surname in Germany and 957th most common in the United States as of 2020.

Given the many variations of spellings and surnames related to Redmer, researchers have argued that there is more than one origin for the surname. It is understood that some variations of the surname originated from foreign language influences, such as French or Dutch, while others are attributed to regional dialects. For example, Reimer is derived from the East German dialect and Raemer and Reimers from the North German dialect.

Ultimately, there are a range of variants, spellings, and surnames which have the same origin as Redmer and likely have been adapted over time to suit the language and dialect of different regions.

Famous people with the name Redmer

• Greg Redmer: American professional baseball pitcher
• J. J. Redmer: American professional football player
• Ryan Redmer: American professional basketball player
• Tim Redmer: American professional golfer
• Todd Redmer: American professional wrestler
• John Redmer: American television and movie producer
• Nick Redmer: American musician and former member of the band "Lemonheads"
• Mary Redmer: American author and poet
• Danny Redmer: American video game designer
• Christoph Redmer: German singer, songwriter, and author

Other surnames

Redmers