An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Meier

by Friedrich Kluge

Meier, neuter, ‘head-servant on an estate, land-steward, farmer,’ from Middle High German meier, meiger, masculine, Old High German meior, meier, masculine; it corresponds to the early Middle Latin major domus, which literally denoted ‘the steward of the household servants’; hence Old High German and Middle High German meier, ‘steward of an estate, manager or lessee of an estate.’ From Latin major, French maire is also derived.