Surname Brandis - Meaning and Origin
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Brandis: What does the surname Brandis mean?
Brandis is a surname of German-Jewish origin, and is primarily found in the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony in Germany. The name was likely first used by people living in the Brandenburg region of Germany, which is now part of the provinces of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony.
The name Brandis likely originated from a place name. In old German, Brand means ‘fire’ or ‘burning’ and is was used as a prefix to signify a place that had been destroyed by fire. For this reason, the name may have been adopted by people living in these regions as a testament to their resilience in the face of destruction.
The name is still relatively common in Germany and is also found among German-Jewish families. In some cases, if a German-Jewish family was required to take a surname for official records during the second half of the 19th century, they may well have chosen Brandis in order to keep a family tradition alive.
The surname Brandis is also present in countries such as the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Australia, as people with this name began to emigrate from Germany to other parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisBrandis: Where does the name Brandis come from?
The last name Brandis is most commonly found in places that have a German background. This is because the name is derived from the Old High German word "brant" meaning burned land or scorched earth. It is thought to have been adopted as a toponymic name, meaning it identified a family as coming from a particular area where land had been scorched.
In Europe, the last name is most common in Germany. According to the telephone book White Pages Germany, Brandis is written as one of the most common last names. It is also commonly found in Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands.
In the United States, the Brandis surname is slightly less common but can still be found. The U.S. Census Bureau states that Brandis is the 4, 608th most common surname in the United States, with approximately 2,999 citizens sharing the last name. It is most common in California, New York, Texas, and Illinois.
Outside of the United States and Europe, Brandis is relatively uncommon. However, as it is a German-derived name, you can find it occasionally in other countries with German populations such as Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.
No matter where it is found, the last name Brandis has German roots that represent a place of scorched land. As a result, those who carry the Brandis name can be proud of their family's heritage and share it with other with the same last name.
Variations of the surname Brandis
The surname Brandis is of German and French origin and has many variants.
In German, the variants are Brandes, Brandt, Branndt, and Brandeis. In French, the variants are Brande, Brandeau, and Brandeis.
The surname originated as a toponymic surname, meaning one from Brandis, a place in Germany. It may also be an occupational surname referring to someone who worked in a forge or forge shop, derived from the Middle High German word "branne".
When the surname Brandis first appeared in English speaking nations, the spelling changed to Brand, Brandy, Bransom, Brandea, Brendes, Brends, Brandes, Brandiss, Brancheau, Brandea, and Brandice.
Brandes is another popular spelling, which has been used by some prominent people, such as Ernst Brandes, a renowned German mathematician and philosopher.
The surname Brandy is an anglicization of the French surname Brande, which is derived from the Old French word "brand", meaning a sword or a firebrand. Bransom is derived from the German surname Brandede, a contraction of Brandedes, which means "burned".
The surnames Brandea, Brendes, and Brends are derived from the Old French word "branton", meaning "swordsman".
The surnames Brandiss and Brancheau are derived from the French word "brancher", meaning "to connect" or "to mark". Brandea is derived from the Old French word "brandais", meaning "wild".
Brandice is a variant of the surname Brandis. It may also be an anglicization of the Irish surname "Brannick", which is of Gaelic origin.
Famous people with the name Brandis
- Brandon Brandis: actor known for roles in Step by Step and SeaQuest DSV.
- Adrianne Brandis: singer and actress who performed with the comedy group Unleashed and in the musical production of Forever Plaid.
- Terence Brandis: the late actor who had roles in episodes of daytime television shows such as The Young and the Restless and General Hospital.
- Jonathon Brandis: the late actor best known for his role as Lucas Wolenczak on seaQuest DSV and a supporting role in the film Ladybugs.
- Garret Brandis: famous chef and television personality behind Top Chef Canada.
- Jeffrey W. Brandis: Grammy Award winning music producer who has worked with artists such as Rihanna, Ne-Yo and Ciara.
- Christine Brandis: Canadian actress with roles in TV shows such as Blood and Water and Heartland.
- Lyall Brandis: the late actor who had roles in programs such as The Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1, and 21 Jump Street.
- Danger Manning (aka Nathan Brandis): Canadian musician with his band Danger Mountain.
- Adam Brandis: actor who had guest roles in shows such as Eli Stone, NCIS, and Gilmore Girls.