Surname Dahmer - Meaning and Origin

Dahmer: What does the surname Dahmer mean?

The last name Dahmer is a German surname meaning "from the dam," or "from the meadow." The name has its roots in the Old German language and is derived from the word "dahme," which means "marshland." The surname is originally derived from individuals who lived in an area near a stream or marsh. People with this name typically originated from the Rhineland region of Germany.

The Dahmer family traces its roots to the Middle Ages when iron ore mining was a major industry. The Dahmer family had many members who were involved in iron ore mining which could be why the family name is associated with the Rhineland region. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Dahmer family branched out into other industries such as engineering, metalwork and paper production.

This last name has many variations listed in historical records, including Dammer, Dammerer, Damme, Damer, and Damery, among others. This last name is found in areas of Germany, the United States, Canada, and many other countries. Famous people who have the last name Dahmer include the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and the beach volleyball player Jeff Dahmer.

The Dahmer surname is a connection to the family's German heritage and roots. It demonstrates the hard work and determination of this family over generations. Those with the last name of Dahmer can be proud of their family's history and contribute to the modern-day society in the same way their ancestors did.

Dahmer: Where does the name Dahmer come from?

The last name Dahmer is most commonly found in Germany and the United States. In Germany, Dahmer is found mainly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate. In the United States, Dahmer is most prevalent in the Midwestern states of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

This is likely due to the fact that the Dahmer family emigrated from Germany to the United States in the mid-1800s. Since then, the family has spread out to numerous locations throughout North America and elsewhere.

The Dahmers have been associated with various professions over the years, including carpenters, farmers, ministers, and animal breeders. However, the Dahmer name has unfortunately become best known for the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who is responsible for the murder of 17 people in the 90’s.

Although the legacy of Jeffrey Dahmer has cast a dark shadow over the entire family name, Dahmer is still a powerful and widely recognizable surname today. Many of the millions of descendants of the original Dahmer family still carry the surname today, and the name continues to be associated with hardworking, honest, and respectful people.

Variations of the surname Dahmer

The surname Dahmer is an occupational surname meaning ‘cooperator’ or ‘fermenter’ from Middle High German, "dahme" or "dahm", meaning “pigeon”. People bearing the surname could have been those who prepared or fermented alcoholic beverages like beer or wine.

The variants and spellings of the surname can include Dammer, Demer, Dekker, Dicke, and Dommel. In some cases, the surname has been transformed into the more English-sounding Damer or Damerow.

Early European variants of the surname included Dammerer, word stemming from "Dammrebere". Other variants included Damarey, Danmering, and Damery.

Related surnames could include Damero, Dammasch, Dammers, Demmig, Demerding, Dimmers, Eimers and Hajimers.

Over time, the variations in spelling of the surname can blur together as spelling became less predictable. For example, Dameron, Demary, Demer, Demeritt, Deming, Demmig, Demmy, and Demoulin are all variations of the same surname.

In the United States, there is a branch of the surname which settled in Pennsylvania and today is known as the Dahmer family. The spelling of the Dahmer name in the United States family resulted from the tendency of early settlers and immigrants to Anglicize their names.

In modern days, the surname has been associated with the notorious murderer Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994) from Wisconsin, United States.

Famous people with the name Dahmer

• Jeffrey Dahmer: Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (May 21, 1960: November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, was an American serial killer and sex offender who committed the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
• Lionel Dahmer: Lionel Adalbert Dahmer (born March 24, 1938) is an American author and father of Jeffrey Dahmer.
• David Dahmer: David Henry Dahmer (born August 21, 1953), the brother of Jeffrey Dahmer, is an American author and public speaker.
• Erroll Searle Dahmer: Erroll Searle Dahmer (April 6, 1933: June 13, 2017) was an American civil rights lawyer, best known for defending those accused of racial violence and leadership positions of the Ku Klux Klan.
• Joyce Flint Dahmer: Joyce Flint Dahmer (April 19, 1938: September 24, 2000), the wife of Lionel Dahmer, was an American psychologist who specialized in children's psychotherapy and education.
• Neal Russell Dahmer: Neal Russell Dahmer (August 6, 1935: August 16, 1995), the brother of Heinrich Dahmer, served as a volunteer firefighter, was a member of the town board, and was a cattleman.
• Ethel Elizabeth Dahmer: Ethel Elizabeth Leutermann Dahmer (December 10, 1915: March 12, 1972), the mother of Jeffrey Dahmer, was an American housewife and secretary.
• Heinrich Dahmer: Heinrich Adalbert Dahmer (October 26, 1908: April 1, 1979), the father of Jeffrey Dahmer, was a German-born American World War II veteran.
• Scharlotte Gelhaar Dahmer: Scharlotte Rheude Gelhaar Dahmer (July 15, 1909: May 14, 1999), the mother of Heinrich Dahmer, was a German-born immigrant to the United States.

Other surnames

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