Famous people named Meier

Swiss Meiers

• Dieter Meier (born 1945), singer of the electronic duo Yello.
• Urs Meier (born 1959), one of the leading football referees of his time, at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.
• Hans Eduard Meier (1922–2014), type designer who created the Syntax typeface.
• Ursula Meier (born 1971), French-Swiss film director of Home and Sister.
• Sarah Meier (born 1984), figure skater and European champion in 2011.
• Timo Meier (born 1996), ice hockey forward in the NHL.
• Carl Alfred Meier (1905–1995), psychiatrist and close collaborator of C. G. Jung.

Germany and beyond

In Germany, Alexander Meier (born 1983) was the Bundesliga's top scorer for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2015. Liechtenstein has its own Meier politicians, among them Franz Meier (1924–2015).

In the United States, Sid Meier (born 1954) designed the Civilization series of strategy games, educator Deborah Meier (born 1931) founded the Central Park East schools in New York, and historian August Meier (1923–2003) wrote widely on African American history.

Switzerland and beyond

Meier is the most common surname in parts of Switzerland, and the list of bearers shows it: Swiss footballer André Meier, Swiss biathlete Beat Meier (1959–2016) and Swiss curler Barbara Meier (born 1962). The German model Barbara Meier (born 1986) won the second series of Germany's Next Topmodel. In the church, Bertram Meier (born 1960) became Bishop of Augsburg, and in medicine the American geriatrician Diane E. Meier (born 1952) is a leading voice for palliative care. In motorsport, Arnd Meier (born 1973) raced in American open-wheel series.

One title, many families

A Meier was a manor steward, an office found in thousands of estates, which is why the name is so common and its bearers so rarely related. Arms belonged to individual families, not to the surname as a whole. See our Meier coat of arms page for the meaning and the Meyer, Maier and Mayer spellings, or begin your own research with Meier family history and genealogy.