Meaning and origin
The last name Hammer is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German word "hamarr," meaning "hammer." It is an occupational surname, indicating that the original bearer likely worked as a blacksmith or a metalworker who forged and shaped metal using a hammer. The surname Hammer dates back to at least the 13th century and has been found in various regions of Germany and Scandinavia. Over time, it spread to other parts of Europe and eventually worldwide through migration and the diaspora. Today, the surname Hammer can be found across multiple countries, often with variations in spelling due to transliteration or anglicization.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,661
Hammer was the 1,661st most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 21,709 people, about 7.0 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Hammer
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Hammer is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.