Surname Orthgieß - Meaning and Origin

Orthgieß: What does the surname Orthgieß mean?

The last name Orthgieß is of German origin indicating that one's ancestors were settlers of the country. It is a variant of the name Orth Gaß, which comes from the German term orth gäß, meaning “top field”. Family names using this particular term usually referred to the civic rights or ownership of the top fields in the village.

During the Middle Ages the Orthgieß name most likely indicated ownership rights to the top fields of a village. It was then adopted as a family name as the need for a standardized naming system increased due to population growth. More specifically, the name could have been used to distinguish families or villages from one another, or as a way to identify individuals belonging to a certain family.

The name Orthgieß can still be found across various regions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland where it has been passed through generations of descendants for hundreds of years. Nowadays it is often used to indicate that one's ancestors were likely peasants or landowners who had ties to the local village.

Orthgieß: Where does the name Orthgieß come from?

The last name Orthgieß is most commonly seen in Germany today, as well as in the United States.

In Germany, the last name Orthgieß is mainly concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. It’s also seen more peripherally throughout other states such as Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate. It’s not a terribly common surname, but it pops up here and there, especially in small towns and rural areas.

In the United States, the name Orthgieß is mostly concentrated in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. However, it's found in many other parts of the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as in Canada. This could be due to German-American immigrants who brought the surname over with them when they first arrived in North America. It’s still seen in all of these areas today, although it’s not overly common by any means.

The Orthgieß name is not as common as some other common German surnames, although it is still seen in certain parts of the world, particularly in Germany and the United States. It may not be as popular as other German surnames, but it still has a place in these communities today.

Variations of the surname Orthgieß

The surname Orthgieß is a German name that has multiple spellings and variations. It is largely composed of a prefix, “Orth-”, and a suffix, “-gieß”, with slight variations in spelling.

The most common spelling of the surname is Orthgiess, with the double “s” indicating the genitive singular form of the word. It can also be found spelled as Orthgießer, Orthgießel, Orthgießerin, or Orthgessel, using either “ss”, “ß”, or “s” to indicate the genitive singular form of the word.

The suffix “gieß” (or “gees” in some cases) originates from the Middle High German word “gers”, which means “pour”, or “flow”. It is possible that the family name originates from an ancestor who was a metalworker or otherwise involved in metalworking.

The prefix “Orth-” can have several meanings, including justice (Old High German “ort”), honor (Middle High German “oerde”), or right (Middle High German “urden”). The overall meaning of the surname Orthgieß is thus difficult to ascertain without further research, as the individual meanings of the two parts may not match the whole.

Surnames that are variants or derived from Orthgieß include Orthies, Orthis, Orthigess, Orthiess, Orthges, Ortges, and Ortgees. These surnames can be found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking countries.

Famous people with the name Orthgieß

• Joanna Orthgiess: German tennis player who won multiple ITF titles throughout her career.
• Eike Orthgieß: German footballer who plays for SVK Schweindorf.
• Christian Orthgieß: German handball player who played in the German Bundesliga for many years.
• Gerhard Orthgiess: German skier who represented Germany in the 1958 World Championship.
• Uwe Orthgieß: German biathlete who represented Germany at the 1976 Winter Olympics.
• Heinrich Orthgieß: German cyclist who won the German national road race in 1933.
• Hartmut Orthgiess: German basketball player who was a part of the West German team at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
• Magdalena Orthgiess: German classical pianist, conductor, and organist.
• Jürgen Orthgiess: German historian who has published several books on 19th and 20th century German history.
• Günther Orthgieß: German racing driver who was active in touring car and Formula Two racing.

Other surnames

Orthgies