Surname Gisse - Meaning and Origin
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Gisse: What does the surname Gisse mean?
The last name Gisse is of Germanic origin and likely refers to the ancestry of the original family that bore the name. It is possible, however, that the name is derived from a place name, specifically the German state of Gissen.
The meaning of the name itself is unclear. It may be derived from an old Germanic word meaning “chieftain” or a shortened version of the name Gisela, meaning “pledge”. It could also refer to an individual who lived near a meadow or who had a horse presumably used for riding or farming.
Historically, this surname featured prominently in the Siegen-Wittgenstein region of Germany and, particularly, in the cities of Netphen and Morsbach. Records from the 16th to the 18th centuries suggest the surname had become a relatively common one.
The Gisse name stands out in modern times for its significant presence in the world of sports. Among the notable personalities that bear the name are Jean Gisse, a retired footballer from France, and Volker Gisse, a former professional football player from Germany.
Overall, the last name Gisse is of Germanic origin and refers to a family that was historically prominent in the Siegen-Wittgenstein region of Germany. Its true meaning is difficult to determine, but it could have derived from an old Germanic word meaning “chieftain”, or a shortened version of Gisela, meaning “pledge”. In modern times, the name has become associated with its prominent presence in the world of sports.
Order DNA origin analysisGisse: Where does the name Gisse come from?
The last name Gisse is most commonly found in Germany and other areas of Central and Eastern Europe today. Although the exact origins of the name are unknown, records from as early as the late Middle Ages places its earliest instances in Central and Eastern Europe.
One of the most notable early records relating to the name is a Jewish family recorded in 1168 living in the outskirts of Vienna, Austria. The family was known as the Gisse of Merzhalb and owned a large number of properties in the area.
Today, the Gisse name can be found within Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Russia among many others. It is also strongly represented in the United States due to 19th and 20th century migration, particularly Jewish migration during those periods.
Research into the genealogy of the name Gisse shows that its concentration is highest in the German State of Baden-Wurttemburg, followed closely by Hesse and Bavaria. It is also known to be present in Lithuania and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.
Variations of the surname Gisse
Gisse is a surname with multiple variants, spellings, and surname of the same origin. Gisse is a surname derived from German-Jewish roots and can also be seen in variations such as Giss, Gisser, Gissler, Gissman, and Gissmann.
Gisse is first seen in records in German states on the turn of the nineteenth century. Many of the people with this surname were Jewish merchants and traders who had settled in Germany during this time. It is thought to be a variant of the Jewish surname Hosse, which originated in Yiddish and could be a shorter form of the biblical name Hosheah.
The variant Giss is thought to have arisen from a misreading or mispronunciation of the name Gisse. This variant can be seen in records from the beginning of the nineteenth century and is popularly found in German-speaking countries, especially in the Rhineland. This spelling is also seen in Jewish records in Poland from the eighteenth century onwards.
Gisser is also a variant of Gisse and is believed to have originated from the Germanic word meaning ‘hunter’. This variant is found across Europe from the sixteenth century and is especially popular in records from Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Gissler is the variant of this surname which has the dual Germanic meaning of ‘hunter’ and ‘forge’. It is believed to be derived from the old German word for ‘forge’ and first appears in German records from the early eighteenth century.
Gissman and Gissmann are both surnames which derive from the given name Isaac, which has its roots in the Hebrew language and Biblical figure. This variant of Gisse is popular in Jewish records from the eighteenth century, mainly in Hungarian records, but has also been seen across some other countries in Eastern Europe.
Overall, Gisse is a surname with multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These variants are all derived from German-Jewish roots which can be traced back to the turn of the nineteenth century.
Famous people with the name Gisse
- Brigitte Gisee: a French actress and voice artist
- Robert Gisee: an American actor and producer
- Angelica Gisse: a Brazilian actress and singer
- Stephanie Gisse: a French professional golfer
- David Gisee: a German sculptor and painter
- John Gisee: an American professional basketball player
- Pavol Gisse: a Slovakian professional skier
- Olivier Gisse: a French television producer
- Anna Gisse: a Spanish opera singer
- Marco Gisse: an Italian-Brazilian artist, actor, and director