The surname Zimmer is of German origin and primarily means “room” or “chamber” in German. It is derived from the word “Zimmer”, which historically referred to a room in a house or a building.
The surname could have originally been a topographic surname for someone who lived near a prominent room or chamber (like a hall or a large room in a house), or it could have been an occupational surname for someone who worked in construction, such as a carpenter, as carpenters in old Germanic cultures were often associated with building and rooms.
Zimmer is a fairly common surname in German-speaking regions, and it has variations in other languages, such as “Zimmerman”, which means “carpenter” (literally “man of the room” or “room maker”).
In some cases, Zimmer can also be a Jewish surname, adopted by Ashkenazi Jews, often referring to a dwelling or a place of residence.