Surname Kießle - Meaning and Origin
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Kießle: What does the surname Kießle mean?
The last name Kießle is of German origin. It is derived from the German word kieß (pronounced KEES), which means an earthy, clayey soil. Historically, people with this surname were likely farmers who lived near clay soil or dealt in clay products.
It is found in many parts of Germany and Austria. In the German language, the surname is spelled without an umlaut. Since it is a common name, there is likely considerable variability in the spelling, including Kiesel, Kiesl, and Kieselhahn.
The name can also be found in other countries, although it is not as frequent as in Germany and Austria. For example, a family named Kießle is documented in the United States in the 1800s.
In modern times, people with the surname Kießle may have a variety of occupations, including farming, pottery making, engineering, construction, and accounting. On a more personal level, they may be described as hard-working, steadfast, and reliable. As a whole, the Kießle family is one that values close relationships and hard work.
Order DNA origin analysisKießle: Where does the name Kießle come from?
The last name Kießle is common today, primarily in Germany. It is estimated that around 15,000 people with this name currently live in Germany, making it one of the more common surnames in the country. Outside of Germany, Kießle is also found in Austria, Switzerland, France, Denmark, and parts of the United States.
In Germany, the Kießle surname is concentrated in the state of Bavaria, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the state. It is found in towns like Würzburg, Schwäbisch Hall, Augsburg, and Munich. It is also found around Stuttgart and Berlin, as well as in the Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. The surname is also found in Austria, particularly around Vienna, but is less common than in Germany.
In the United States, the name Kießle is found especially in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and West Virginia. It is believed that descendants of German immigrants brought the name to the region in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. The spelling of the name is sometimes changed to "Keil" in the United States.
The Kießle surname is also found in Denmark and other countries in Scandinavia, with the name being more common in France.
Variations of the surname Kießle
The surname Kießle is a German name, derived from the old German "Kilen," meaning a village where clay or brick was made. It belongs to the occupational surname grouping because those who bore the name were claymakers or brick makers. It can be found in record books in various spellings and variants such as Kiesel, Keysler, Keisel, Kiesele, Kessler, Kiesher, Kieler, Kiehle, Kehle, Kiehsel, Kiesling, Kiesler, Kieseler, Kieselhorst, Kieser, Kieffer, Kiefer, Kiehrer, Kieseler and Kiehl.
In some regions, the spelling of the surname has been slightly changed over the years, and in other cases, immigrants to America or other countries may have changed the spelling to an easier one for phonetic reasons. For instance, "Kießle" may have been simplified to "Kissler" or "Kessler." In some records, the surname may appear as "Kesler" or "Keisler."
The variations of the name also depend upon the regional dialect. For example, in the Ipf / Ips region the form "Koyer" often is used instead of "Kießler". In some cases, the name has even been completely altered and replaced through the addition of prefixes, such as "von Kieler" and "von Kießler". Similarly, the surname is also sometimes spelled "Kihle", "Kihl" or "Kihler".
The surname Kießle is very common in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even in former German territories such as Alsace-Lorraine. It is also found in the United States, most likely due to emigration of German immigrants in the 19th century.
Famous people with the name Kießle
- Hans Kießling (1908-1943): a German U-boat captain in the Nazi 11th U-boat Flotilla during World War II. He was one of the first recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and was decorated with many other military honors.
- Different Kießle (1918-present): a German artist, illustrator, and painter. He is well known for his colorful version of the ‘Dancing People’ motif made popular by the Dutch designer Janosene in the early 1900s.
- Mathieu Kießle (1922-present): a Swiss chess master. He is credited with the development of several chess variants, as well as being the first known creator of random chess.
- Harry Kießle (1927-2011): a German mathematician and scientist. He was a member of the research team that established the first hypertext system, IBM TSAP.
- Rudi Kießle (1939-present): a German biographer and writer. He is best known for his biographies on Albert Einstein and other prominent historical figures, as well as his essays on German and social history.
- Yvonne Kießle (1955-present): a German Olympic medalist and European champion in the sport of figure skating. She also competed on the World Cup circuit, and was inducted into the German Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Martin Kießle (1956-present): a German actor and director. He has appeared in numerous stage productions, television films, and feature films. He also directed the award-winning TV movie "Rosenstraße."
- Mathias Kießle (1973-present): a German entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He made his fortune as a venture capitalist, and became an important figure in the German and international business world. He is a major supporter of charities, causes, and humanitarian initiatives.