Surname Schachmeyer - Meaning and Origin

Schachmeyer: What does the surname Schachmeyer mean?

The last name Schachmeyer basically comes from an interesting couple of old German words namely "Schach" and "meer". The meaning of the two words when combined translate to “chessboard” or “chess sea”. It is believed that the last name Schachmeyer is likely derived from guild which used to be a part of a centuries-old tradition in Germany. It was mainly due to the names of tradesmen which were created by combining the name of the craft with the region or locale where the person commonly worked.

Thus the name origin of Schachmeyer simply means a “maker of chessboards”. This may have implied that a member of one’s family had lived and worked close to an area where this craft was being manufactured.

The other version of the origin of the name Schachmeyer is based on a surname seniority system known as “surname originating”, which suggests that those bearing the name Schachmeyer were from a great wealthy family or had lived in a large house.

It has also been proven that the name is mainly spread throughout Germany with some other families bearing the name located in England, Switzerland, and Austria. The U.S. has the greatest concentration of citizens bearing this name, followed by Israel, Canada, and Australia. It is very likely that these families originated from Germany and spread out all over the world in the past hundred years.

It is certain that the last name Schachmeyer has a deep and intriguing history and is certain to bring feelings of pride and strength to each family bearing the name.

Schachmeyer: Where does the name Schachmeyer come from?

The last name Schachmeyer is primarily found in the United States of America. According to public records, there are approximately 550 individuals living in the United States today with the last name Schachmeyer. Although the majority of these individuals live in the United States there are also small communities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany who boast a few individuals with this name.

The most populous cities in the US with Schachmeyers are Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Houston, and Cleveland. However, the majority of those with this last name are located in the Midwest states such as Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. There is also a high concentration of Schachmeyers along the East coast, primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.

The history of the Schachmeyer family is difficult to track as many branches of the family have moved around and changed their surname in the process. Many of those living in the United States today can trace their lineage back to the 1800s, mainly from German roots, however there are some with other heritages such as Swiss and Czech.

A prominent individual with the last name is Jerome Schachmeyer who served in the US House of Representatives from Ohio from 1933-1941. His German roots hail from the Bavarian region, where the name is still seen today, although it is increasingly rare.

The Schachmeyer family remains a small but vibrant community, even if they are scattered across the world. Although the Schachmeyer name has been passed on for generations, it appears that it is slowly dwindling from public records.

Variations of the surname Schachmeyer

The surname Schachmeyer is a German surname which can be found with various spellings and variants. It is derived from the German word ‘schach’ which means ‘checkmate’.

The most common variant of the surname is ‘Schachmeister’, with ‘meister’ meaning ‘master’. This refers to the original profession of someone with the surname of Schachmeister, as they were masters of the game of chess.

Other common variants include ‘Schachmayer’, ‘Schochmayer’, ‘Schochmeister’ and ‘Schockmayer’. These variants are less common but still found in some families.

The surnames stopped taking the form of ‘Schachmeister’ and began to be changed to less obvious meanings of the word ‘schach’ as the surname spread across Europe. Common surnames like ‘Schacht’, ‘Schäfer’ and ‘Schlapper’ are found throughout Europe and all have their roots in the word ‘schach’.

The original spelling of ‘Schachmeister’ is still found in Germany, but in other countries like the United States, the spelling of the surname has been changed to the modern day spelling of ‘Schachmeyer’.

In summary, the surname of Schachmeyer can be found with several different spellings and variants. Common variants include Schachmeister, Schochmayer, Schochmeister, Schockmayer, Schacht, Schäfer and Schlapper. The original spelling of the surname can be found in Germany, while the modern day spelling of ‘Schachmeyer’ is found in other countries.

Famous people with the name Schachmeyer

• John Schachmeyer: Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach at University of Dayton
• Mark Schachmeyer: Professional Artist and Writer
• David Schachmeyer: Former Basketball Coach at Tennessee Technological University
• Lesly Schachmeyer: Football Wide Receiver
• Robert Schachmeyer: Professional Engineer
• Connie Schachmeyer: Past President of the Albuquerque Regional Association of Realtors
• Fred Schachmeyer: Past President of the Denver Athletic Club
• Micha Schachmeyer: International Art Collector
• Jim Schachmeyer: Former NFL Defensive End
• Tina Schachmeyer: Professional Interior Designer and Real Estate Developer.

Other surnames

Schachmeier