Surname Griesmeier - Meaning and Origin
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Griesmeier: What does the surname Griesmeier mean?
The last name Griesmeier is of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old High German word “Griuza”, which means “courageous” or “bold”. The name was used to denote a brave warrior or leader of a local community. Later, the name shifted to other meaning, such as "farmer".
The Griesmeier surname has spread to many places in the world as people have moved away from their homeland. The name is found in many records in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The name Griesmeier is most common in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg but also found in France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Russia and other countries.
The current spelling of the name evolved from the original form, Griesmaier, which evolved further from the more ancient spelling, GriesMaior. This spelling is also found in many places in the world.
The Griesmeier name is associated with someone of courage, honor, and kindness. Its bearer is seen as someone who is both admirable and respected. People with this surname are often seen as someone who stands on the outside of the crowd, a leader who stands at the side of the common people to protect them.
Order DNA origin analysisGriesmeier: Where does the name Griesmeier come from?
The last name Griesmeier is common throughout Germany today. It is most highly concentrated in the areas of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, but can be found in other parts of the country too. Additionally, it is a surname found in other areas of central and eastern Europe, including Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary.
In America and other parts of the world, Griesmeier is less common but it can still be found, often as a result of migration from Germany and other central European countries. The US states with the highest percentage of residents with the last name Griesmeier include Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
Aside from the spelling variations Griessmeier and Greismeier, which appear in Germany and America respectively, the surname Griesmeier is relatively rare. The etymology of the name likely originates from the Middle High German word "Mair", meaning a mayor, magistrate or foreman in a village, and the word "Gritz", which means a creek or marsh. Together the two words may refer to a person who lived near a marsh or who served in the capacity of a mayor for a village.
Over the centuries, the name has evolved and changed, but it remains a common surname throughout Germany and around the world today.
Variations of the surname Griesmeier
The surname Griesmeier is of German origin and has many variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin. A few of these are Greissmeier, Greisemeyer, Greissemeier, Greissemeyr, Greisemeier, Griessimair, Greismair, Griesemair and Griesmai.
The surname is derived from two German words, "greisen" meaning "miser" or "penny pincher" and "meier" meaning "field master" or "steward." In ancient times, the Griesmeier surname often referred to a person who was in charge of managing the lands and assets of a wealthy estate owner, while also looking after the tenant farmers and laborers. The Griesmeier surname has also been recorded with Dutch spellings such as Greijsmair and Grejsmayr and with Bavarian spellings such as Greise Minor and Greisemair.
In some instances, the surname Griesmeier has been Anglicized, taking on the monikers Gray and Grey. For example, former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s ancestors changed their surname from Griesmeier to Eisenhower.
Some additional variation of the Griesmeier surname includes Greisam and Greisamger. The variant Greisamger specifically refers to a steward, or a person charged with overseeing a property to ensure that its owner is making the greatest financial gain.
In German, the Griesmeier surname translates to “stingy” or “miserly” and records of its use can be found throughout Germany and other parts of Europe. The earliest records of the Griesmeier surname date back to the 16th century in Germany. The earliest Griesmeiers were found in East Prussia in the Brandenburg and Silesia regions.
Since then, the Griesmeier surname has spread around the world, with Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all having Griesmeier families in their countries.
Famous people with the name Griesmeier
- Barry Griesmeier: award-winning composer, arranger and conductor of musical works
- Mathias Griesmeier: German professional tennis player
- Bernice Griesmeier: professional illustrator
- Jan Griesmeier: German professor of medicine
- Maria Griesmeier: award-winning German actress
- Marcel Griesmeier: German flutist and composer
- Jürgen Griesmeier: German footballer and coach
- Sebastian Griesmeier: German Paralympic athlete
- Sabine Griesmeier: Austrian sculptor and painter
- Alexandra Griesmeier: German author and screenwriter