Surname de Gier - Meaning and Origin
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de Gier: What does the surname de Gier mean?
The last name de Gier is an old Dutch surname, originating in the region of the Netherlands and Belgium known as Flanders. It was first utilized as a way for families to distinguish themselves and their lineage, and often represents a line of long-standing nobility or landowners.
Etymologically speaking, the surname de Gier breaks down to two elements: ‘de’ which acts as an indicator of nobility, and ‘Gier’ which is derived from a word meaning ‘swift’ or ‘quick’. Put together, the two elements can mean ‘the swift one’ or ‘of the swiftness’.
It is believed that the surname might have been a way to distinguish between individuals who were particularly swift or fast, possibly relating to their hunting skills. It could also signify someone who exhibited great speed or agility in battle.
Today, the surname de Gier is found all around the world. It is still most commonly associated with the region of Flanders, and many people who bear it may have ancestors that date back to the area centuries ago. While it is still seen as a lauded, impressive surname, it is no longer indicative of nobility or a particular social standing.
Order DNA origin analysisde Gier: Where does the name de Gier come from?
The last name de Gier is of Dutch origin and is most commonly found today in the Netherlands and Belgium. It can also be found in other countries with Dutch heritage, including Suriname, and among Dutch migrants in places such as the United States, Canada and Australia.
The name is said to have originated from the regional area that the family used to occupy in Dutch Flanders, known as the ‘Gier’. It is believed to derive from the old Germanic term ‘gernet’, meaning jagged and could also refer to the land being subject to tides and floods of the river Gier.
In the Netherlands today, the de Gier name is still rather common and can be found throughout the country, with concentration levels being particularly high in the province of Limburg and in the cities of Rotterdam and Utrecht.
In the US, the de Gier surname first arrived in the mid 1800s with Dutch emigrants from Friesland and Zeeland. The de Gier family was established 2009 in the US and is the dominant form of the name, with its highest concentrations in California, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In Canada, it is most commonly found today in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec.
In addition, the name is now also present in South America and Africa due to Dutch emigration.
Variations of the surname de Gier
The surname de Gier has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common is the spelling "de Geer" (also spelled de Geere). This was historically a Dutch-Flemish surname from the area of Gelderland and Utrecht, indicating the surname-holders were originally from a small village called Geer. This is the older spelling of the name, and is still present in Dutch documents.
Other similar surnames of the same origin include "de Gier, de Geir, degiér, de Geijr, degieir, de Gijer, de Geirrs, and Gierman." Many of these are derived from an anglicized version of the Dutch-Flemish surname.
In recent years, some families of de Gier have adopted the variant surname "Gierman," which is also an anglicized version of the name. This variant is used mostly in regions outside of the Netherlands, such as in the United States and Canada.
The surname can also be found with the prefix "Van," like in "Van de Gier" or "Van der Gier." This was a common Dutch practice of indicating the father of the name-holder.
In conclusion, the surname de Gier has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin including de Geer, Gierman, de Gier, de Geir, degiér, de Geijr, degieir, de Gijer, de Geirrs, and "Van de Gier" or "Van der Gier." The origins of these names can be traced back to the Dutch-Flemish region of Gelderland and Utrecht, where the surname-holders were originally from a small village called Geer.
Famous people with the name de Gier
- Rob de Gier: Former defender of the Dutch national football team, and a member of the Uefa Technical Study Group, appointed for the 2014 World Cup.
- Lisa de Gier: Dutch television presenter working for NOS.
- Tjalling de Gier: Member of the Raad van State, and a professor of public law and public administration at the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
- Merel de Gier: Dutch professional road cyclist.
- Wouter de Gier: Football manager for the Nedbanks Ke Yona team, which consists of players from South Africa and Namibia.
- Erwin de Gier: Dutch classical film composer, active in the second half of the twentieth century.
- Serah de Gier: Chairperson of the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences, based in Amsterdam.
- Chantal de Gier: Dutch horse trainer, specializing in dressage.
- Frans de Gier: Dutch medical doctor, born in the Netherlands in 1915.
- Margo de Gier: Dutch artist, from the province of Utrecht.