Surname Meinart - Meaning and Origin
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Meinart: What does the surname Meinart mean?
The last name Meinart is believed to be of German origin. It derives from the personal name Meinhard, which is composed of two parts: "mein" meaning “mine” and "hardt" meaning “strong” or “brave”.
Meinart is thought to have been used as a nickname for someone who was very brave and strong. This could have been applied to someone prominent in the community, such as a leader, a warrior, or a respected hunter. It could also have been used more generally as a descriptor of someone who had earned the respect of their peers.
The name is likely to have emerged during the Middle Ages, when many surnames were created as a way to distinguish individuals within a given social context. During this period, the personal name Meinhard would have been extremely common in many regions of Germany. In fact, it was so popular throughout the Middle Ages that it can be found in records dating as far back to the 11th century.
From a modern perspective, the last name Meinart can be seen as an indication of a lineage of strength and bravery that has been passed down from one generation to the next. It is a surname that carries with it a sense of respect and admiration for the courage and fortitude of the ancestors who first used it.
Order DNA origin analysisMeinart: Where does the name Meinart come from?
The last name Meinart is most commonly seen today in central and western Europe, especially Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium. It is also relatively common in the United States and Canada, particularly among those of German and Dutch descent.
Meinart is derived from the traditional German first name "Meinhard", which dates back as far as the 12th century and evolved from "Magenhard", meaning "hard strength". The word developed to "Meinhart" by the 15th century, and eventually merged with the German "art" to form "Meinart".
In Germany, the name Meinart is found in the Bavarian-Franconian dialect regions of Baden-Württemberg and Hessen. The name is also relatively common in the Netherlands, where it can be mostly found in the countryside, particularly in North Holland, South Holland, and Utrecht.
The commonness of the name Meinart has remained relatively steady over the centuries. It was birthed in the Middle Ages, prominently featured during the World Wars, and remains a popular name today. Common surnames associated with the name in modern times are Meinard, Meinert, Meinhardt, and Meinhard. As the name has spread across Europe and the United States, traditional forms of spelling have been adapted to accommodate different dialects.
Variations of the surname Meinart
The variant spellings and surnames for Meinart are Mainhart, Mainard, Manard, Mannhardt, and Mannhard. Meinart is a Germanic surname derived from the Middle High German meine hart or mein hart, which translates as “my strong”.
Meinart is a patronymic surname, meaning it is based on the given name of the father. During the medieval period, when the population was largely illiterate, people often recorded their surnames from memory, which could lead to a variety of versions of the same name. As people moved across the country or across the world, their names could be further corrupted by local dialects or prejudices.
In Germany, the Meinart name is most often found in Protestant areas of the country. It is also occasionally seen in the United States, its popularity in America likely owing to German immigrants who settled in the country. In the records of immigrants arriving in America, the surname has been found in various spellings including Mananhard, Mannard, Manhart, Mainard, Mainhart, and Mananhardt, among others.
The most common variants of Meinart are Mainhart, Mainard and Manard; however, there are other variants such as Mannhardt and Mannhard, as well as additional spellings including Mananhard, Mannard, Manhart, Mainard, Mainhart, and Mananhardt. These variants and spellings can all be traced back to the same origins—the Germanic “my strong”.
Famous people with the name Meinart
- Martin Meinart: German film and theater actor.
- Georg Meinart: German Renaissance composer whose works have been rediscovered and published in the modern era.
- Dieter Meinart: German architect who has been active in the fields of urban planning and interior design since the 1960s.
- Wilma Meinart: German psychotherapist and behavioral psychologist.
- Jürgen Meinart: German sculptor and art professor.
- Heinz Meinart: Austrian-American painter and printmaker.
- Fabian Meinart: German composer and defender of the classical tradition of music.
- Norbert Meinart: German sculptor and woodcut artist.
- Willi Meinart: German architect who had a major role in the reconstruction of Berlin following World War II.
- Paul Meinart: German Expressionist painter dating back to the early 20th century.