Surname Neß - Meaning and Origin
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Neß: What does the surname Neß mean?
The last name Neß is a German surname meaning "nets". One potential source of the name could be from German immigrants who crafted or used nets for various purposes such as fishing, hunting, or trapping. It may also refer to a region in Germany named Neß.
Neß could also have derived from "nessus" which is an ancient Greek mythological creature. In the myth, Nessus is a centaur who carries Eryone, the daughter of a river god, across the river. Because of the centaur’s underhanded behavior, legend has it that this creature was cursed to suffer for eternity.
The "Neß" spelling is most common in northern Germany, especially in the region of Oldenburg and Schleswig-Holstein. It is thought to have possibly originated there. As for the wider meaning, it's hard to pinpoint but could refer to a place name or an occupation.
Regardless of its origin, the surname Neß remains very popular in Germany. It is also quite common in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European countries.
Order DNA origin analysisNeß: Where does the name Neß come from?
The last name Neß is most common in Germany and of German origin. According to the German surname database, the name is ranked 690 out of approximately 270,000 surnames in Germany. It is most popular in the western and in the northeastern parts of the country. As of 2020, the last name Neß is most common in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Brandenburg.
Overall, Neß is one of the most common surnames in Germany. Although it is of German origin, the name is also found in a number of other countries, such as Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, United States and Canada. The largest concentration of people with the name Neß outside of Germany is in North America, especially in the United States, where it ranks as the 114th most common surname.
Neß has been found on ancient documents in Germany dating back to at least the 16th century. It is derived from a German personal name, which is a variation of the name Nicolas. The Neß spelling is from the Low German dialect spoken in parts of Germany, and is not always used in every country.
The name Neß is derived from the German word meaning “last” or “concluding” and may have originally referred to a person who was the last of his or her family. It is not clear when the name began to be associated with the name Nicolas, but it is possible that it was due to the commonality of this name at the time.
The name Neß continues to be quite common in Germany today and is found in a number of other countries as well. It is a reminder of a unique part of German history and culture.
Variations of the surname Neß
The surname Neß most commonly found in Germany and Austria originates from the personal name Nassi or Nasi. Variants of the surname include Nass, Ness, Nes, Nest, Nesta, Nesti, Nessi, Neßen, Neßel, Nassen, Nessel, Naß, Näß, and Näßen.
In some cases, the surname can also be spelled with an umlaut, such as Nöß or Nößen. In other cases, the same surname could be spelled differently depending on the region, such as Naes and Nessen in the Netherlands.
It is believed that the surname Neß was most likely an occupational surname given to a boatman. It is also possible that the surname originated from the German word “Ness” meaning “cove” or “bay” and could have been used as a topographic name.
Early records show that the surname was found in the Rhineland Palatinate region of Germany in the 13th century. Records from this period include Clemens von Ness, a doctor of law from Worms in 1271, and an Ulmann von Ness, who appears in records from 1386 in Freiburg im Breisgau.
In the 16th century, the most common spelling of the surname was "Näß" and "Naß," but by the 19th century, the spelling of “Neß” became more widespread.
Today, the surname is still relatively common in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Poland.
Famous people with the name Neß
- Alexander Neß: German actor known for his roles in films such as Zwischen Heimweh und Hoffnung, Gideon Wader and Sophie Scholl: The Final Days.
- Paul Neß: German soccer player who has played for several clubs throughout his career such as VfL Bochum, FC St. Pauli and Hamburger SV.
- Willi Neß: German badminton player who represented West Germany in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games.
- Jean Neß: German entrepreneur who, together with her husband Peter Neß, founded the confectionary company Rotweiss GmbH in 1959.
- Harald Neß: German sculptor whose works often reflect reality and the meaning of life.
- Lutz Neß: German physicist who, together with his team, developed the first infrared lasers with a wavelength above 2 μm.
- Kung Neß: German painter and sculptor whose primary works include abstract painting.
- Holger Neß: German businessman who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of ZDF Digital since 2013.
- Peter Neß: German businessman and entrepreneur who, together with his wife Jean Neß, founded the confectionary company Rotweiss GmbH in 1959.
- Günther Neß: German historian and educator specializing in economic and cultural history. Author of several works about the historical foundations of business and economic change, such as Germany's Economy in 19th-Century Europe.