Surname Gilleßen - Meaning and Origin
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Gilleßen: What does the surname Gilleßen mean?
The last name Gilleßen is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German term ‘gilzeze’, which refers to a type of bird. The term was then transformed into a family name. The origin of Gilleßen derives from an ancient German tribe known as the Gilzaii, who lived in what is now southern Germany.
The root of the last name Gilleßen is derived from an ancient German word meaning ‘hunter.’ This indicates that the original bearer of the family name was a hunter-gatherer, perhaps a member of one of Europe's earliest cultures. The name has been associated with a variety of locations over the years, which include modern-day Bavaria and other areas of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
In the United States, the name became popular in the late 1800s. It appears in various records of the time, but the surname has become less common in recent generations.
Gilleßen, as a surname, is associated with an ancient German tradition of hunting and gathering. This tradition has been passed down for generations, and its bearer is today a respectful title. People with the last name Gilleßen are said to be inquisitive individuals who take great pride in their work and achievements. They are often passionate about their hobbies and have a strong sense of family.
Order DNA origin analysisGilleßen: Where does the name Gilleßen come from?
Gilleßen is a German surname derived from the personal name Gillet or Gil. This surname is still relatively common today, most often found in Germany and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland and Austria.
In Germany, the surname Gilleßen is particularly common in the Rhineland Palatinate, Hesse, and Rhine-Westphalia areas of Germany. Gilleßen is also fairly common in other parts of Germany, particularly in the northern states. In Switzerland, Gilleßen is most frequent in the cantons of Basel-Country, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, and Zurich.
Although the Gilleßen surname appears in Germany today, its origins are linked to other parts of Europe. For example, variants of the surname are found in France and Belgium, where it is spelt 'Gillet' and 'Gilissen', respectively. The surname is also found in the Netherlands, where it is spelt 'Gijlissen'. In England, the surname has been anglicised to Gillett.
The Gilleßen surname is believed to have first appeared in Germany in the early 16th century, when members of a French family named Gillot emigrated to the region in search of new opportunities. The surname has since spread to many parts of Europe and beyond. In the United States, the surname is relatively rare but is found in a number of one-name studies.
The Gilleßen surname is still common today, particularly in its native Germany and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland and Austria. Its prevalence in other parts of the world, however, is much lower.
Variations of the surname Gilleßen
The surname Gillessen (or Gillessen) is a German family name with numerous variations and spellings throughout Europe. Common variants include Gilleßen, Gilleßon, Gilissen, Gilisen, Gillissen, Gillesen, Gylissen, Gylszen, and Gilsen.
Gilleßen is a patronymic name, derived from either the personal name “Gilleß” or the Old German personal name “Gisleß”. Gilleß is a diminutive of the Old German name “Gilher” or “Gisilher”, and various forms of the root name (“Gil”) are found as far back as the 1300’s in German documents.
Gilleßen may also be found as a toponymic name (or derived from the location of those with the name). Gilzen or Gilsen, for example, originated in the areas of Gilze and Rijen in the province of North-Brabant in the Netherlands.
The surname Gilleßen may be found mainly in the Dutch Netherlands, the German states of Westphalia, Hesse-Nassau, and Schleswig-Holstein, as well as regions of the former East Germany (Saxony, Pomerania, Brandenburg) and Southern Germany (Bavaria and Thuringia).
The name is likely to have spread with migrants who traveled to the New World in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries. Immigrants to the United States and Canada with the surname Gilleßen may have also adopted Americanized versions such as Gillissen and Gillesen.
In some cases, Gillessen was corrupted into Anglicized forms of the name, like Gylissen or Gylszen. To this day, both variants of the surname are still well-represented in North America.
Famous people with the name Gilleßen
- Verena Gilleßen, German actress 2.Whilem Gilleßen, Dutch footballer
- Evi Gilleßen, Dutch cyclist
- Boudewijn Gilleßen, Dutch politician
- Basil Gilleßen, French-German tennis coach
- Florian Gilleßen, German theatre actor
- Mikaela Gilleßen, Swedish singer
- Kenneth Gilleßen, Dutch comedian
- Julian Gilleßen, German choreographer
- David Gilleßen, Swiss poet