Meisner
A German surname often understood as meaning someone from Meissen or its region.
The #9,415 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,388 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Meisner is generally a German name tied to the place name Meissen (German Meißen) in Saxony. In surname use, it usually meant a person from Meissen or the surrounding district, rather than a descriptive nickname. The form reflects a common German habit of turning place names into surnames with -er, meaning "from" or "of."
History
German regional surnames of this type became hereditary over time and were later carried beyond Germany through migration. The name is found in German-speaking areas and among later emigrant communities, especially in Central Europe and North America. The historical excerpts supplied here list Meisner among German surnames, supporting its regional character.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same surname family can appear with either a simple s or the German sharp s (ß), depending on spelling tradition and modernization.
From the historical record
“Megginer, Megillaway, Megquier, Meguir, Me- hegan and Mehiggin, Mehuron, Meighan, Meigs, Meinrath, Meins, Meir, Meiring, Meisel, Meisner, Melanefy or Melanefee, Melany, Melbin, Mel- CHER, Meldrick, Meldrum, Melendy, Melgrove, Meligan, Melledge, Mellen, Melley, Mellish, Me- loney, Meloon, Menage, Menard, Menary and…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)