Surname Cleiß - Meaning and Origin
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Cleiß: What does the surname Cleiß mean?
The last name Cleiß is of German origin and is derived from the word 'cleisen', which means 'a slope or an inclined passage'. The name likely originated among the ancestral clans of those living in Germany and can be found across the world today, including in Europe, North and South America, and Australia.
The name Cleiß is a patronymic surname, which means that it is derived from the personal name of the father. This name is derived from various German given names, such as Klaas, which may have been used as a nickname given to the father.
The name Cleiß can be found in a number of occupations in Germany which might have been the source of the surname for a particular family. It was used for workers in the mining industry, miners who worked in the lowest level of a coal mine, as well as locksmiths who made locks, and tailors who used cloth to make garments.
This name has also been used to refer to travelers or raiders, as well as those of military backgrounds, in Germany. The surname can also be used to identify those of a noble or royal background - since the name is derived from royalty, families belonging to this background held the name proudly, as a mark of their regal heritage.
The name of Cleiß is still seen in various countries and carries a deep history for each of the families carrying it. Its meaning has remained constant for centuries, giving the families who bear it a unique place in history.
Order DNA origin analysisCleiß: Where does the name Cleiß come from?
The last name Cleiß is mainly present today in Germany, Austria, South Tyrol, and North-Rhine Westphalia. It is most likely a variation of the name "Klais", which is derived from the personal name Klas, as the two names were used interchangeably in the past in many regions. In Germany, statistics from the 1990s suggested that the last name was most frequent in the Lower Saxony region, followed by Hamburg and Bavaria.
In Austria, the most common regions of occurrence of the last name Cleiß include Vorarlberg and Tyrol, although it is also found in other states such as Carinthia, Salzburg, and Sacred Roman Empire—Vienna. In the last century, its presence became more pervasive, with the surname appearing in the 2010 census in all of Austria’s nine provinces.
The surname is often interchangeably spelled Kleiß, Kläiß, and Cleiss in some regions. It appears to be derived from a Middle High German word kles, which means "cleverness". Regardless of the spelling, the surname is usually pronounced the same with a soft “i” sound where the “s” would normally be present.
As far as South Tyrol and North-Rhine Westphalia are concerned, the surname is prominent in both regions as the last name is often associated with the Swedish diaspora which entered the region in the 1600s and 1700s. It is now common in many rural and urban areas in both Germany and Austria.
Variations of the surname Cleiß
The surname Cleiß is derived from the ancient German word clou, and is likely associated with the word store. This is supported by its regional variants in Germany, where Cleiß is found mainly in the eastern part of the country, such as Saxony.
The spelling variations of Cleiß include Kleiss, Kleyss, Kleess, Clees, Cliss, Kliess, Klis, Kleiß, Klies and Cleiss. Many of these are also shortened to just the initial letter ‘K’, such as Kley, Klis and Kli.
Surnames that originate from Cleiß include Kleyer, Kleyring, Kleyhans, Kleymann, Klöss, Klerose, Kleregister, Klosse and Kleinschmidt. The variations that originate from the initial letter ‘K’ include Klier, Knier, Klergen, Kling, Kleier, Klaz, Klel, Klette, Kleyner, Klear, Kleyre, Klezinger, Kleinig and Kleinbarger.
Due to historical spelling discrepancies, some of these variants may appear differently, such as under the archaic spelling ‘Clöss’, from which the surname Klöß originates, and more modern variants such as Kleingar, Kleine, Kleiner, Klyner and Klemenz.
Overall, many of the variations of the Cleiß surname vary largely from family to family, and its variations in spelling have grown and evolved over time.
Famous people with the name Cleiß
- Theodor Cleiß: German classical music composer and pianist.
- Günter Cleiß: German engineer and professor, highly recognised for his work on the advancement of digital signal processing in Germany.
- Daniel Cleiß: Famous actor and director from Germany.
- Fabian Cleiß: German photographer, visual artist, and filmmaker from Berlin.
- Hermann Cleiß: German explorer and geographer who was especially interested in the geography of Asia Minor and the Middle East
- Ausonius Cleiss: Belgian lawyer and author, who wrote numerous books on topics such as legal philosophy, contemporary art, economic theory, and literature.
- Irina Cleiß: Russian-born sculptor and ceramist who resides in Germany.
- Hilmar Cleiß: German cartoonist and graphic novelist who has published five books and created comics for many German magazines.
- Clemence Cleiß: French designer, scenographer, and illustrator.
- Johannes Cleiß: German-born musician who is widely recognized for his work with electronic music, and his fusion of classical, contemporary, and jazz influences.