Surname Birss - Meaning and Origin

Birss: What does the surname Birss mean?

The last name Birss is believed to be of Germanic origin. It is thought to have derived from the old German word "birse", which means "bristly" or "hairy". This name is commonly found in Germany and Switzerland, as well as in various other European countries, as well as throughout North America.

As a surname, it is likely to refer to a person who had a bristly or hairy appearance, or perhaps to a person with a vast amount of body hair. Alternately, it could also refer to hair colour, which would suggest an individual with a reddish-, brownish- or blondish-coloured hair.

The last name Birss is associated with a wide variety of professions and skills, ranging from blacksmiths and tinkers to cobblers and barbers. It has even been used for some political personnel in Northern Europe, such as the Danish politician Birger Birss who was a Member of the Danish Parliament from 1946 to 1953 and served as the Minister of Fisheries from 1953 to 1955.

Despite its Germanic origins, the Birss surname can now be found all over the world, such as France, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries. It is most common in Germany and Switzerland however, giving a fascinating insight into the spread of surnames across Europe and beyond.

Birss: Where does the name Birss come from?

The surname Birss is most commonly found in regions with a strong German cultural presence, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Canada. It is also present in countries with an influx of Germans in the past century, such as the United States, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The surname itself has Germanic origins, derived from the personal name 'Berhtold', meaning 'bright ruler'. The popularity of the name peaked in the Middle Ages, when German-speaking populations were steadily increasing, consolidating the spread of the surname through all German-speaking countries.

Today, it is most common in Germany, where it ranks 112th out of all surnames. Austria, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and Australia are also countries with a significant proportional number of Birss families. In the United States, the surname is ranked 16,332nd out of all common surnames.

Though the Birss surname is generally regarded as Germanic, it has occasionally been encountered in other cultures. In England, a number of Birss families resided in Yorkshire through the 1800s, apparently after emigrating from Germany. Other instances of families bearing the Birss surname have been identified in Scotland, as well as Crete.

Variations of the surname Birss

Birss is a surname of Scottish origin, and is derived from the Barras family, which means "residence of the barons". Variants of the Birss surname include Byrass, Byrasse, Byrass, Byrace, Byras, Birasses, Byrasses, Byracer, Bryrass, and Byrac.

Some common spellings of Birss include Bires, Byris, Byrise, Biresse, Bireses, Byrises, Bireser, Byriser, Byricse, and Byricser.

The surname Birss also has some alternate surnames of similar origin, including Barrass, Barace, Baras, Barrase, Barrases, Barraser, Barrise, Barracce, Barricse, and Barricser.

Another variant of the Birss surname is Birrass, which is simply the addition of a “double R”.

Finally, some other surnames that share a similar meaning and origin with Birss include Barr, Barre, Barres, Barrer, Barrees, Barreess, Barreeser, Barreecer, Barreecce, and Barreecser.

In conclusion, the surname Birss has numerous variants, spellings, and alternate surnames, all of which have the same origin, and all of which can be roughly translated to “residence of the barons”.

Famous people with the name Birss

• Yohan Birss: Yohan Birss is an international award-winning songwriter, producer, and artist from Montreal, Canada. He has written, produced, and released music for major artists across multiple genres.
• Scott Birss: Scott Birss is a Scottish actor best known for his roles in films such as Witless Protection, Committed, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
• Graeme Birss: Graeme Birss is a former professional hockey player who had a brief stint with the National Hockey League's New York Rangers.
• Liz Birss: Liz Birss is a British fashion designer, model, and philanthropist. She is best known for her avant-garde clothing designs and for being a part of one of the first street style collectives.
• Mary Birss: Mary Birss is an accomplished Irish novelist and painter. She is known for her brave and captivating stories of survival, loss, and hope.
• Blake Birss: Blake Birss is an American actor, producer, and director who has worked extensively in film, television, and theater. He is best known for his starring role in the romantic comedy film, Brother to Brother.
• Tessa Birss: Tessa Birss is an American dancer and choreographer. She has choreographed for some of the biggest pop stars in the world, including Rihanna and Katy Perry.
• David Birss: David Birss is an English historian and professor of London History at University College London. He has written several books on crime, politics, and society in late Victorian London.
• Samuel Birss: Samuel Birss was an American mathematician who made significant contributions to chaos theory, recursion theory, and algebraic logic. He was considered one of the most important mathematicians of the 20th century.
• Gloria Birss: Gloria Birss is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She is best known for her powerful serve and her ability to stay calm under pressure.

Other surnames

Birs