Surname Leiß - Meaning and Origin
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Leiß: What does the surname Leiß mean?
Leiß is a German surname originating in Bavaria. The name is derived from the Old High German words leisa and leisaheiti which both mean “light-heartedness” – either naturally occurring or a trait possessed by an individual. The name has traditionally been used to indicate someone who was cheerful, jovial, and living life to the fullest.
Within Germany, the Leiß surname has also been linked with the family of Dochleissen – an ancient noble family which had its roots from the Middle Ages. The Leiß family has been historically associated with the area of Würzburg, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria.
The Leiß name is often found spelled in various ways, including Layß, Leys, Leyss, and Lees. It is also common for the name to be written with additional letters or an umlaut.
In Germany, the Leiß surname has been used by numerous prominent people, such as the actor Max Leiß, the painter Nicole Leiss, and the German football player, Rudolf Leiß.
Today, the surname Leiß is still embraced by many individuals around the world. It is often taken to represent independence, cheerfulness, generosity, and a great zest for life.
Order DNA origin analysisLeiß: Where does the name Leiß come from?
The last name Leiß is a very common surname in Germany today. It is one of the top 500 most common surnames in Germany and can also be found in Austria and Switzerland. It is most often found in large cities such as Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. There are many people with the last name in these cities, and it is also common in many other German-speaking countries.
The name Leiß is derived from the German noun leiß, which comes from Old High German leis, and it means ‘generous’ or ‘noble’. The surname is closely related to the names Leis, Less, and Liese. It is also related to the surname Leib, which is a topographic name for someone who lived near a stream or a river.
In ancient German documents, this name was often recorded as a name of nobility or a sign of royalty. Today, however, the last name Leiß is mostly used as an example of an average German surname. The people who carry this surname are from all walks of life and are as varied as the country itself. It is an example of how many surnames in Germany have been passed down through generations and the way in which they have been adopted and adapted by various commoners’ families.
Variations of the surname Leiß
The surname Leiß is of German origin, and variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Leiss, Leyss, Layß, Läiss, and Laiss. These can all be seen in records dating back several centuries in German speaking countries.
For example, in the 11th century, documents in Austria reference Heinrich Leß, and the 17th century marks the first occurrences of Johann Leis, a maternal ancestor of the prominent German conductor Herbert von Karajan. The spelling Laiss is first seen in the early 19th century records of a Saxony resident called Johann Gotthelf Laiss.
Variations including Layß are particularly common in north Germany, where records of a Christian Leonhard Layß of 1616 have been found. In 1710, a Monika Barbara Leiss was born in Bavaria, while Nikolaus Leß is first seen in the records of 1768 in the Palatinate. Läiss can be seen in church records of 1759, in which a Maria Elisabetha Läiss was baptised in Öhringen, Baden-Württemberg.
Various combinations of spelling variants of the same name can also be seen across numerous records. For example, a 1683 document from Lohr am Main, Bavaria, mentions a Johannes Leyßt. While record keeping was much poorer before the 18th century, such documents demonstrate the great variety of spelling combinations of the surname Leiß.
Famous people with the name Leiß
- Isabell Leiß: German handball player who has represented her country at the World Championships and European Championships.
- Sebastian Leiß: German football player who currently plays for VfB Lübeck.
- Lucas Leiß: German basketball player who plays for Bayern Munich.
- Nils Leiß: German ice hockey playerwho plays for EHC München in the DEL.
- Valentin Leiß: German short track speed skater who has represented his country in several international competitions.
- Fabian Leiß: German cyclist who won the German Cyclocross Championships in 2018.
- Caroline Leiß: German figure skater who won the German National Championships in 2016.
- Michael Leiß: German football coach who is currently in charge of U19 Bayern Munich.
- Laurenz Leiß: German sports shooter who represented his country in the 2012 Olympics.
- Hermann Leiß: German basketball coach who led Frankfurt Skyliners to the German Basketball League Finals in 2007.