Surname Geissdörfer - Meaning and Origin

Geissdörfer: What does the surname Geissdörfer mean?

The surname Geissdörfer is of German origin. Typically a Schiefer or Stein surname, Geissdörfer is derived from the medieval German word "Geissdörfer," which literally translates to "goat farmer." Originally acting as an occupational surname identifying families that kept goats on their property, the name has since evolved to denote a person with the same industry and has been adopted as a surname in many parts of the Central Europe.

The Geissdörfer surname appeared at the beginning of the 18th century and is mostly recorded in the Bavarian region of south Germany. During this time, the name mainly identified those who kept and herded goats and made a living off the animal's milk and wool. It wasn't until the 19th century that the name began to expand to other parts of Europe, with the Geissdörfer family itself eventually migrating to North America in the early 1900s.

As technology has progressed and no longer requires the family to keep goats in order to survive, the surname Geissdörfer has gradually become less concentrated in rural Germany. Despite this shift, it can still be found throughout Europe along with North America and serves as a testament to the occupational tradition of 18th and 19th century Germany.

Geissdörfer: Where does the name Geissdörfer come from?

The last name Geissdörfer is a German surname that is still common in parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland today. In modern Germany, the most populous regions where individuals with the Geissdörfer surname reside are Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse. Bavaria is home to Germany's second-largest city, Munich, where a large number of Geissdörfer individuals are concentrated. In Baden-Württemberg, the city of Stuttgart houses a significant population of Geissdörfers as well. In Austria, the Tyrol region is home to many individuals with the Geissdörfer surname. In Switzerland, a concentration of Geissdörfer individuals can be found in the canton of Zurich.

Outside of German-speaking Europe, there are a number of individuals with the last name Geissdörfer throughout the world, especially in North America, Australia, and South Africa. The majority of these individuals are likely to be descendants of Geissdörfer immigrants who left Europe in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

The Geissdörfer surname is quite rare in the United States and Canada, but it can be found in higher concentrations in areas with large German-speaking populations, such as New York City, Buffalo, and Chicago. In Australia, the city of Perth is home to a significant number of individuals with the Geissdörfer surname. South Africa is home to a large number of German-speaking individuals, and the surname Geissdörfer can be found in abundance in cities like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town.

In all, due to the large number of Geissdörfer individuals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, it is safe to say that the Geissdörfer surname is still common in these countries today. Furthermore, with significant numbers of individuals with the last name Geissdörfer scattering throughout the world, it can also be said that Geissdörfer is an international surname.

Variations of the surname Geissdörfer

The surname Geissdörfer is derived from German, and can be spelt in a few different variants.

Geißdörfer: This is the most obvious variant of the surname Geissdörfer. It is spelt with an extra line (or ‘umlaut’) over the letter ‘i’.

GeisDoerfer: This variant of the surname uses two capitalised letters and does not contain the ‘ümlaut’.

Geissdoerfer: This variant of Geissdörfer is spelt without the capitalisation of the letter ‘D’ and removed the ‘ümlaut’ from the letter ‘i’.

Geissdorf: As an abbreviated version of Geissdörfer, this variant of the surname does not have the ‘ö’ or the ‘ümlaut’ over the ‘i’.

Geissdorfer: This variant manages to keep the ‘ümlaut’ intact, but removes the ‘ö’ from the surname.

Some surnames that are related to Geissdörfer are: Geissdorff, Geiss, Geisdorff, Geiszdorff, and Geiszdorf.

These surnames all share the same meaning: Geissdörfer roughly translates to ‘goat village’ in English. This is because the spelling contains the word Geiss which is the German word for a ‘goat’, and Dörfer, which means ‘village’. The spelling variants and other surnames that are related to Geissdörfer help to reinforce this meaning and origins of the surname's origin.

Famous people with the name Geissdörfer

• Wolfgang Geissdörfer, German author and radio playwright, known for his works Der Dow Jones hat heut sein Kleinod verschleudert, Schwimmer and Ina Seiderer.
• Michael Geissdörfer, German actor and director.
• Peter Geissdörfer, German film producer who produced films such as Wir Waren KÖNIG.
• Wolfgang Geissdörfer, German film, television and theater director.
• Maria Geissdörfer, artist and graphic designer who has designed book, record and magazine covers.
• Alexander Geissdörfer, German film producer and director whose films have been shown at the Berlin International Film Festival.
• Karlheinz Geissdörfer, former German football player who played for clubs such as Bayer 04 Leverkusen, TSV München and ESV Ingolstadt.
• Udo Geissdörfer, German actor who acted in shows such as Tatort, 360° GEO Reportage and Das Erbe der Wölfe.
• Christoph Geissdörfer, award-winning German film director and screenwriter whose feature film debut, Blind Spot, premiered at the 2019 Munich International Film Festival.
• Christina Geissdörfer, German author and curator whose work focuses on identity, migration and globalization.

Other surnames

Geissdorf