Surname Gebbe - Meaning and Origin
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Gebbe: What does the surname Gebbe mean?
The last name Gebbe is of German origin. The name can be derived from a nickname, derived from the medieval personal name Gabbe, which is a diminutive of a short form of the personal name Gabriel. In English, Gabriel translates to mean "God is my Strength" or "Man of God”.
At the time, German names often derived from personal characteristics of its original bearer. Therefore, it is likely that the surname Gebbe was given to someone with a close relationship with God, such as a devoted or faithful follower of Christianity. The name may have also come from someone who worked the land and had strong ties to nature—derived from the Lilie, a lily prominent in Germanic folklore.
The surname Gebbe also has various geographical origins. It can be found in both Northern Germany and in the Netherlands, mostly in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland. The Gebbe surname also appears in the Rheinland area of Germany, where it has been found as early as 1415.
Today, the Gebbe surname is most popular in the United States, with populations of people with the name spread throughout many states. It is most common in Wisconsin, where it ranks as the state's 191st most common surname.
Order DNA origin analysisGebbe: Where does the name Gebbe come from?
The last name Gebbe is most common in Germany, with over 1,000 people bearing the name currently living in the country. It is also fairly common in other parts of Central and Northern Europe, particularly in Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria. Smaller numbers of Gebbe have also been found in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.
Most of the Gebbe family is believed to have originated from the regions of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which make up the northern and northwestern parts of Germany. Research suggests that the Gebbe name may have originated in Prussia and then spread throughout Central Europe.
Gebbe is believed to be derived from an old German word, 'Gebba', which means 'strong sword', indicating that the first bearer of the name was a soldier or weapons-maker. This is backed up by records of a Gebbe family living in the 16th century in Gartow, in the Prussian Province of Saxony, who were armorers and blacksmiths.
The Gebbe name is still present today throughout Central and Northern Europe, where many members of the family maintain close connections to their ancestral homelands.
Variations of the surname Gebbe
Gebbe is a variant spelling of the German surname Gäbe. The surname is also spelled Gäbb, Gebb, Gäbb, Gebe, Gepp, Gapp, Goepf, Gipp, Gief, and Gibb.
Gebbe is a patronymic surname originating from the German name Gebhard, composed of the two elements “geb” meaning “gift” and “hard” meaning “brave.” The related German verbs “gewinnen” (to win) and “geben” (to give) may also have influenced the formation of this surname.
Other surnames derived from Gebbe include Gebel, Gebhardt, Geber, Gebhard, Gebhardt, Gebner, Gebermann, and Gebben. Gebman, Gebauer, Gebauer, and Gebauer are other German variants. In the United States, there are families of Gebbe, Gepp, Gapp, and Gibb.
The Gebbe surname is especially common in German-speaking countries like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but is also a common in the United States. Spelling variations of the name have also been recorded in Italy, Spain, Denmark, Great Britain, and other countries in Europe.
Gebbe is a relatively uncommon surname. It likely arose from small medieval towns and villages where many people had the same name and needed a way to differentiate themselves. Often, an individual's nickname might become a surname, or the addition of a suffix or prefix could create a unique name.
Although there are many possible spellings of the Gebbe surname, the roots of the name are the same no matter the spelling; it is derived from the German personal name Gebhard.
Famous people with the name Gebbe
- Alexandr Gebbe: Russian-German motorcycle racer.
- Paul Gebbe: American medical doctor and professor.
- Amy Gebbe: American Olympic swimmer.
- Francis Gebbe: Australian politician.
- Wolfgang Gebbe: German actor, director, and stuntman.
- René Gebbe, German football player.
- Claus Gebbe: Dutch professional soccer player.
- Steven Gebbe: American executive director of the National Association of Tax Professionals.
- Julius Gebbe: German opera composer.
- Hans Gebbe: German art professor and painter.
- Edward J. Gebbe: American attorney and patent agent.
- Camille Gebbe: Haitian colonel and government official.
- Fabian Gebbe: German poet, author, and publisher.
- Helmuth Gebbe: German music educator, and university professor.
- John H. Gebbe: American admiral.