Flemming
A surname of ethnic origin, meaning “a Fleming” or “a person from Flanders.”
The #5,575 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 49,526 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally explained as a name for someone from Flanders, from a medieval word meaning “Fleming,” i.e. a Fleming or Flemish person. The forms seen across Germanic languages—such as Middle Dutch and Middle Low German equivalents—point to the same ethnic label rather than a family occupation. In short, it began as a regional identifier for a newcomer or migrant from Flanders.
History
The name is found in medieval England and the Low Countries, and it also appears in German records as a surname meaning “the Fleming.” Historical sources note early English bearers such as William le Fleming, and the name has remained established in Britain, Germany, and North America. Spellings with one or two m's both occur, with Flemming being the more common modern form in many places.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
German surname guides often classify Flemming alongside other ethnic surnames like Schwabe, Frank, and Polack.
From the historical record
“Norf. Fleming. S. Flemming ; Dch. Vlaming ; FI. Vleminck ; G. Flemming; D.B. Flamand, Flan- dren ; p.n. William le Fleming received the”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)