Surname Jürgeleit - Meaning and Origin

Jürgeleit: What does the surname Jürgeleit mean?

The last name Jürgeleit is of German origin. Its root language is potentially Old High German, and it is believed to have been a toponymic name derived from settlements beginning with the root words Jourg, Jurg, Jurk, or Yurk. These root words all referred to a manicured pasture or meadow.

In the context of a last name, it is thought to refer to someone from a region with a manicured pasture or meadow. Such a connection was likely made in a time when families were very localized to a particular region.

Today, the name is mainly used in North America, with some users in Europe and other parts of the world. Famous people with the name Jürgeleit include Ferdinand Jürgeleit, a German cavalry captain, and Andreas Jürgeleit, a German-born Canadian actor.

Over time, variations have been created from the original name, such as Gürgeleit and Jurgeleit.

Overall, the last name Jürgeleit is a surname originating from German regions of manicured pastures or meadows and today is mainly used in North America and Europe.

Jürgeleit: Where does the name Jürgeleit come from?

The last name Jürgeleit is most commonly found today in the country of Germany. According to the Genealogical Society of Germany, the Jürgeleit surname is among the top 8,000 surnames in the country, making it a relatively common name. Records indicate that the largest concentration of people with the surname Jürgeleit today are located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with the next biggest concentrations in the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse, and Lower Saxony.

Research suggests that the Jürgeleit surname originated in the medieval Protestant colonization of Volhynia, a historical region in what is now Ukraine, by a German settler called Rerjada Jürgeleit. Since that time, the Jürgeleit surname has spread across Germany, with branches of the family settling in Prussia, and more recently in the states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Brandenburg.

The name Jürgeleit is of German and Slavic origins and is derived from several elements. The first element, “Jurge-,” is derived from the Slavic personal name “Jurge” which is a form of “George.” The -leit suffix derived from the Teutonic element “leid” meaning “one who.” Thus, “Jürgeleit” translates to “one who is related to or descended from George.”

The Jürgeleit surname continues to be one of the most popular surnames in Germany today. With branches of the family still living in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, the Jürgeleit name continues to hold much significance in the country.

Variations of the surname Jürgeleit

The surname Jürgeleit can be spelled and written in several different ways. In Germany it is mainly spelled as "Jürgeleit," while other German spellings include "Juergeleit," "Jürgleit," "Jürgi" and "Jürgens". In other countries the surname spelling is often changed to "Yergeleit," "Yergeleyt" or "Yörgeleit."

In the United States and the United Kingdom, the surname is mainly spelled as "Georgeley" or "Jurgeleit." Other American spellings include "Georgely" and "Jnrgeleit," while British versions include "Georgyiley," "Jergeleyt" and "Yergeleyt."

The surname is known to have originated from the Germanic name "Giorge," meaning someone who worked with the earth or farmed the land. Variations of the surname come from the addition of the family suffix "-leit" which means "a class or grouping of people."

Variations of the Jürgeleit surname occur in several countries including Austria, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. The surname is often synonymous with the same origin and meaning, but can be found written in different spellings.

Famous people with the name Jürgeleit

• Robert Jürgeleit (footballer who played as a defender for Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, MSV Duisburg, and VfB Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga)
• Michael Jürgeleit (folk guitarist who has released several albums and teaches guitar in Bremen, Germany)
• Volker Jürgeleit (composer and music director for several award-winning productions in Germany, including the television series Babylon Berlin)
• Mark Jürgeleit (German surveyor and political activist who helped to found the Free Democratic Party of Germany in the late 1940s)
• Daniel Jürgeleit (award-winning ice hockey goaltender who has played for teams in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland since 2010)
• Stephan Jürgeleit (award-winning German philosopher, professor, and writer, best known for his metaphysical works on the nature of human consciousness and purpose)
• Alexander Jürgeleit (professional hockey player who was selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has played in several different international leagues since then)
• Katharina Jürgeleit (German artist and author who has exhibited in numerous galleries throughout Germany and Europe and published several books on art and culture)
• Lars Jürgeleit (author and editor of horror and science fiction novels, most notably the Söhnen des Friedens series, which has been translated into several languages)
• Christoph Jürgeleit (German film director and screenwriter best known for his award-winning films Walking the Midday Sun and Ishtar Blues)

Other surnames

Jürgeleitis