Surname Ortgieß - Meaning and Origin
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Ortgieß: What does the surname Ortgieß mean?
The last name Ortgiess is thought to be an occupational name, originating in Germany. It is derived from the Middle High German language, with "Ort" referring to a location or grounds and "giess/giss" meaning "worker." Together, the words can be translated as "worker of the land" or "farm servant."
Ortgiess has been a surname in Germany since the early 1700s. A family named Ortgiess was listed in the area of Baden, Germany in 1709. Records indicate that since then, the name has been found throughout Germany and neighboring countries.
The first appearance of the name Ortgiess outside of Germany was in the 1800s in the United States. Many families with the surname Ortgiess immigrated from Germany to the US in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
As an occupational name, the surname Ortgiess likely comes from a long line of agricultural laborers. These individuals likely worked as farmers, tending to crops and livestock in fields, meadows, and pastures. This kind of relationship to the land and tradition may still be seen in modern families that have retained this unique surname.
Order DNA origin analysisOrtgieß: Where does the name Ortgieß come from?
Today, the last name Ortgieß is most common in the German state of Lower Saxony, particularly in and around the cities of Wolfsburg and Hannover. Smaller number of people with the name Ortgieß can be found in other states in Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, and Hamburg. Outside of Germany, the surname Ortgieß is most commonly found in countries with substantial German emigrant populations, such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.
The name Ortgieß is thought to be derived from the German word "Ortgeis," which literally translates to "dwelling speck" and is itself a place name for a small settlement or village. It is likely, then, that the surname originated with a person who had resided in, or had been from, such an area.
The last name Ortgieß is not as common today as it was in centuries past, when its bearers were usually farmers and livestock breeders who lived and worked in small villages. Over time, the spelling of the name has varied, with some of its bearers opting to add the "l" in Ortließ or the "er" in Ortgeiser for additional clarity. Today, Ortgieß is a relatively rare surname, though its members remain proud of their roots and traceable lineage.
Variations of the surname Ortgieß
Ortgieß is a German name derived from the noun Ort (place) and the verb gießen (to pour). The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Ortgiess, Ortgies, Ortgiss, Ourtgiss, Ortgise, Ortgisee, Ortgeise and others. It is common for surnames to be modified once the family migrated to other countries; for example, the Ortgiess surname can be written as Orgies, Orgeis, or Ourtges when spelling is standardized for the English language.
Most of the surnames of the same origin can be found within Germany and other countries of Central Europe. Depending on the region, common spellings of the surname Ortgieß include Orgis, Orgiez, and Ortgeis. In some instances, the name is changed to Ortges, Orgies or Orgeiss. Due to German dialects, the surname might also be encountered as Ortleiss, Ortsieß, Orzgiess and Ortigis.
When the Ortgiess family immigrated to America, the spelling of the surname was again modified. Variants of the name may include Orgus, Orzgies, Orzgiss, Orzgise, and Orzgisee. One may also encounter spellings such as Ortgys, Ortgeys and Ortgies.
The surname Ortgieß has also been known to appear as Ortygis, Ortygise, Orteise, Orteisee, Orgeise and Orgese. Additional variants are Ortgeese, Orgese, Orteise, Orteisee, Ortgisey, Ortgissey and Orteis.
Famous people with the name Ortgieß
- Rolf Ortgieß: German cross country skier.
- Ulla Ortgieß: German equestrian cyclist.
- Karl Ortgieß: German former football goalkeeper.
- Olga Ortgieß: former German fencer and international wheelchair athlete.
- Monika Ortgieß: German climber and mountaineer.
- Martin Ortgieß: German rower, Olympic champion in 1976 and world champion in 1975.
- Carolyn Ortgieß: German artist and sculptor.
- Heinz Ortgieß: German politician and Administrator of Pomerania.
- Christine Ortgieß: German mayor of Deggendorf.
- Konrad Ortgieß: German ice speed skater, participated in the 1936 and 1948 Olympics.