Surname Greiß - Meaning and Origin
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Greiß: What does the surname Greiß mean?
The last name Greiß is an old Germanic surname derived from the Middle High German word “greiz”, meaning “scarcity” or “need”. The name first began appearing in records in Germany from the 13th century onwards, and was originally likely used as a name to describe a family or an individual's straitened circumstances. It is thought to have originally derived from the Old High German “greizo”, meaning “hungry” or “needy”.
Because the word "greiz" refers to a time of austerity, it can be assumed that the family who originally adopted this name may have faced difficult economic times, or were known to put their own needs before the needs of others.
The name Greiß first began to spread outside Germany in the 18th century, when the surname was adopted by several families who emigrated from the country to Britain and other parts of Europe. Today, the surname is still relatively rare, but is still mainly found in Germany and the surrounding countries.
Throughout the last few centuries, many members of the Greiß family line have left an impressive legacy. There are numerous notable figures with the surname spread across the world, such as German businessman Manfred Greiß, Swiss-American film producer Pierre Greiß, and Israeli rock musician Treso Greiß.
Order DNA origin analysisGreiß: Where does the name Greiß come from?
The last name Greiß is most common today in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is particularly prevalent in southeast Germany, along the borders of Austria and Czech Republic, and in certain areas of Switzerland. The last name is likely of either German or Austrian origin, with the meaning of “grain,” “grease,” or “pitch.”
The Greiß surname is relatively uncommon, with only about 1,000 people bearing the last name worldwide. Of this 1,000, nearly 700 reside in Germany, around 200 are located in Austria, and the rest reside primarily in Switzerland and Australia.
Due to the roughly geographic segregation and low overall population, it is very likely all people with the last name Greiß are related to each other. Families with the last name are likely to trace their family roots to a common ancestor born in a region where the name is popular.
While the last name is not particularly prevalent today, it’s not yet considered rare or extinct. Despite its low population numbers, the last name Greiß is still commonly found in its core regions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Greiß
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Greiß are Gris, Griess, Gries, Greis, Greiss, Greys, Greysen, Gres, Greß, Gretz, Grice, Greese and Greisser.
The surname Greiß is a German and Jewish surname. It is derived from the German word ‘gris’ which means spruce. In the Middle Ages the Fir was a symbol of strength and bravery, thus those bearing the name Greiß were known as someone of fortitude.
The current spellings emerged from the late 1600s in the German states of Switzerland and Bavaria, and Austria. The surname spread across Europe to the United States in the early 19th century when German immigrants established small towns and led to a more modern spelling of the Greiß surname.
The early recorded history of the Greiß surname includes many distinguished individuals. Johann Adam Greiß (1763-1837) was an Austrian lawyer, journalist and politician. Johannes Greiß (1800–1876) was a Swiss cantonal judge and politician. Johann Christian Gottlieb Greiß (1778-1858) was a German general during the Napoleonic wars.
Despite the spelling variations of the name Greiß, it can be traced back to the same German roots. In modern times, the Greiß spelling is more common in the United States, while the Gris spelling is predominant in German speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Greiß
- Philip Greiß: he is a German actor, mostly known for his roles in TV series like "Bis dass das Glück uns Scheidet", "Türkisch für Anfänger", and "Der Lehrer".
- Andreas Greiß: Andreas is a retired Austrian footballer.
- Sarah Greiß: Sarah is a German film and television actress, best known for her roles in the films "Head-On", "Mogadischu", and "Weiße Teufel".
- Friedrich Greiß: Friedrich is a former East German footballer and an international referee.
- Christian Greiß: Christian is an Austrian Olympic skier, competing in the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Andreas Greißer: Andreas is a German professional footballer, currently playing for 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
- Konrad Greiß: Konrad is a German physicist, specializing in spectroscopy and micromaching.
- Marcus Greiß: Marcus is a German born in Munich, and author of the books "The Evangelists" and "Die Prinzessin und ihr Pferd".
- Kurt Greiß: Kurt is a German actor, appearing in various theater productions and films including „Der Chef“, „Homo Faber“ and „Der Schattenmann“.
- Artur Greiß: Artur is a German singer and songwriter, mostly known for his works in the indie-folk genre. His most renowned releases are „Songs von einer Küste“ and „Dunkelkammer der Sehnsucht“.