Surname Eiß - Meaning and Origin
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Eiß: What does the surname Eiß mean?
The last name Eiß is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word ies or eis, meaning "ice". This in turn can be linked to the Germanic god "Iwhol" who was the god of ice. The Eiß surname first appears in Bavaria, Germany, and was most likely adopted by a family that originated there as early as the 1400s. It is believed to have originally been a nickname for a person who was particularly cold, either physically or temperamentally, or who lived in a particularly cold place.
Over the centuries, the spelling of the name has changed due to both regional dialects and migration. For instance, in some areas, thename can be written as Eyss, Eiss, Eissmann, Eys, Iss, and Is. The name can also take on a slightly different form in regions where a diacritic mark (an acute accent) is used, or where an ß, or double s, is used like in Austria or Southern Germany. In these areas, the name is written as Eiß and is pronounced as "ice".
In modern times, the Eiß surname is found throughout Germany, Austria, and other parts of Europe as well as North America. It is increasingly used as a first name, particularly in the United States, as it has a positive, unique, yet still Germanic feel to it.
Order DNA origin analysisEiß: Where does the name Eiß come from?
The last name Eiß is most commonly found in Germany today. According to a census carried out in 2019, approximately 13,000 people in Germany bear the Eiß surname. A primary concentration of the name is in the state of Saxony, where it is the 205th most common surname. Additionally, the area around the state of Brandenburg, as well as North Rhine-Westphalia also have many people with the Eiß surname.
The Eiß family originally came from the northern town of Magdeburg and may have established itself in the area as early as the 15th century. The Eiß surname is thought to be derived from the West German word ‘eisen’, which means ‘iron’ in English. As a result, it is widely believed that the name was originally used as an occupational surname for blacksmiths.
While the surname is widely spread throughout Germany and often found in combination with other German surnames, its variations are relatively uncommon outside of the German-speaking world. In countries such as the United States and Canada, individuals with the Eiß surname typically bear one of the more common variants, such as Eis, Eise, Ise, or even Is.
Variations of the surname Eiß
The surname Eiß is of Germanic origin and is derived from the word for "iron". It can also be found in other Germanic languages such as Dutch, Danish, and Norwegian, where it is spelled as "Eys". Other variants include the spellings Eiss, Eise, and Eis.
When the surname is found in English, it is generally spelled as Ice, Ise, or Is. Similarly, when found in French, the surname is typically spelled as Eise or Isse. Variants of the surname are also found in other parts of Europe, such as Est in the Iberian Peninsula, and Es in Italy.
In some regions of Germany, the surname is found in the form of Eisa, Eisse, Eisser, and Eises. In Austria, variants such as Eiser and Eißer are commonly seen.
Other surnames which have the same origin as Eiß include Eißner, Eißfeldt, Eißmann, and Eßer. Finally, surnames like Eisele, Isemann, Isele, and Äisel are derived from the shortened form of the word for "iron" in each respective language.
In sum, the surname Eiß has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Such variations can be found in many different European regions, languages, and cultures.
Famous people with the name Eiß
- Richard Eiß: He is a German former competitive swimmer who specialized in butterfly events. He won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
- Jurij Eiß: Another German swimmer, he competed in the men's 100 metre butterfly event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- Erwin Eiß: A former swimmer under the East German flag, he won the bronze medal in the 200 metre freestyle event at the 1990 European Aquatics Championships.
- Mathias Eiß: A former competitive swimmer from Germany, he was the 1993 European champion in the 200m individual medley.
- Jens Eiß: A German sprinter, he won the gold medal in the 4×200 m freestyle relay at the 1998 European Aquatics Championships.
- Thomas Eiß: A German swimmer, he competed in the men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Oliver Eiß: He is a German modern pentathlete who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
- Joseph Eiß: A former competitive swimmer, he was a silver medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships.
- Angelika Eiß: She is a German sprint canoer who competed in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. She won a bronze medal in the K-4 500 m event at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
- Rudolf Eiß: a German water polo player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was part of the German team which finished ninth in the 1936 tournament.
- Daniel Eiß: He is a German bobsledder who competed from 1991 to 2000.
- Harald Eiß: A German sailor, he competed in the 470 class at the 1980 Summer Olympics.