Surname Greißner - Meaning and Origin
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Greißner: What does the surname Greißner mean?
The last name Greißner is a relatively uncommon surname of German origin, thought to have originated in the region of Bavaria. The surname is derived from either the given name of Greis, which is an old German name meaning “old” or the word greise, which is derived from the Old High German and means “gray”.
The Greißner family has a long history in Europe going back to the late 1600s and is thought to be associated with the settlement of Thuringen in eastern Germany. The Greißner family also, more recently, spread to certain regions of Austria and as far away as the U.S., America.
Today, the Greißner family is largely located in the U.S., particularly in cities with strong German cultural roots such as Kansas City, Houston, and Milwaukee. The number of Greißners in the U.S. is a small fraction of those found in Europe, however, so the Greißner surname is still quite rare in the United States.
Those who have the Greißner name typically tend to shy away from publicity and prefer to maintain a sense of quiet dignity. This may sound as if the Greißners are a bit of an enigma, but in reality it’s simply a desire to maintain their family’s rich history and to preserve their way of life.
Order DNA origin analysisGreißner: Where does the name Greißner come from?
The last name Greißner can be found in Germany and other European countries today. It is a surname of German origin that goes back to the Middle Ages, referring to a person from a place with the same name, which is derived from an old German word meaning "greens grower". The Greißner family was known for its occupational surname, as it was often associated with those who dealt with vegetables and fruit. Greißners were also considered to be farmers, butlers, gardeners, and agriculturists.
Today, the Greißner last name is common throughout Germany, Austria, and various other countries in Europe. Some countries with high-concentrations of Greißner families are Poland, Czech Republic, France, Italy, and Switzerland. In Germany, the Greißner last name is especially widespread in Bavaria, Saxony, Berlin, and Brandenburg.
The Greißner last name is known for its strong association with farming and agriculture. Over time, however, many Greißner families have shifted away from these occupations and began to work in other areas. Today, many families bearing the Greißner last name work in the medical, tech, and financial fields, as well as in business and law.
The Greißner surname remains quite popular in Europe today, indicative of its long history and strong ties to the land. It is a name that will not soon be forgotten in the lands of its origin.
Variations of the surname Greißner
The surname Greißner is derived from Germanic words meaning "gray" and "spear". It is also sometimes spelled as Griesner, Greissner, Greisner, Greisner or Greizner.
In some corners of the German-speaking world, this name has also been known as Grismer, Grismeyer, Grissman and Grissmeyer.
For those with a Jewish heritage, this is sometimes seen as Grejser, Greizer and Greismer. This is due to the tendency to adopt non-Jewish-sounding surnames to avoid anti-Semitic persecution within Central and Eastern Europe.
In the United States, this name is often Anglicized to Griesner, Greissner and Gries. Over time, what were once distinct Greißner surnames retained in some parts of Germany and elsewhere could turn into one unified name, and this may account for the many variant spellings found in North America.
There are also other surnames which have similar roots and into which Greißner may have evolved, such as Graeser, Greaser, Greiser, Greisor and Greyser.
To sum up, the surname Greißner has numerous variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, some of which can be found in the United States while others are still present in Europe. This variation can be easily attributed to the changing times and circumstances in which the surname's bearers have lived and migrated over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Greißner
- Johannes Greißner: A German soldier in WWII who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during his service.
- Harold Greißner: An American fly-casting champion from the 1950s who wrote many books on the art of fly-casting and also wrote columns for Outdoor Life magazine.
- Harry Greißner: A Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Philies between 1913 and 1926.
- Johanna Greißner: A German sprinter who competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics in the 200m and 4x100m relay events.
- Adolf Greißner: A prominent Austrian composer and conductor whose compositions blended elements of Austrian folk music with the modernist sound of the late 19th century.
- Manfred Greißner: A German composer and professor of music at the University of Cologne.
- Friedrich Greißner: A 20th century German physician and academic who served as a professor of medicine at the University of Munich from 1969 to 1979.
- Felix Greißner: A German gymnast and artist who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
- Harding Greißner: An American professional golfer who won two National PGA tournaments and was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1981.
- Fritz Greißner: A German ski-jumper and sports official who was the president of the International Ski Federation from 1954 to 1959.