Show ContentsBrinkmeier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient German region of the Rhineland was the original home of the name Brinkmeier. Brinkmeier was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, often attaching the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from", in some cases as a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common style of German hereditary surname. Brinkmeier was a name for someone who lived beside a meadow or grassy pasture. Brinkmeier is a topographic surname, which was a type of local name given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Brinkmeier family

The surname Brinkmeier was first found in the Rhineland, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. The name Brink derives originally from the German word that describes a grassy meadow or pasture.

Early History of the Brinkmeier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brinkmeier research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1814, 1835 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Brinkmeier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brinkmeier Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Brinkmeier include Brink, Brinker, Brinck, Brincke, Brinkmann, Brinkman, Brinckmann, Brinckman, Brinckemann and many more.

Early Notables of the Brinkmeier family

More information is included under the topic Early Brinkmeier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Brinkmeier migration to the United States +

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Brinkmeier, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Brinkmeier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A Christ Elis Brinkmeier, who landed in America in 1845 1
  • Herm Heinr Brinkmeier, who arrived in America in 1847 1
  • Wilhelm Brinkmeier, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1893
Brinkmeier Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Friedrich Brinkmeier, aged 21, who landed in America from Lemgo, Germany, in 1921
  • Paula Brinkmeier, aged 21, who immigrated to America from Lemgo, Germany, in 1921

Contemporary Notables of the name Brinkmeier (post 1700) +

  • Robert E. Brinkmeier, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1972 2


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook