Surname Reissen - Meaning and Origin
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Reissen: What does the surname Reissen mean?
The surname Reissen is of German-Jewish origin, likely derived from the Yiddish word “rishn” or "resen” meaning to cut or separate. This surname was likely given to those whose ancestors were tailors or people that worked with scissors. The spelling “Reissen” is likely found within the Jewish communities of Germany and Poland, as the spelling of many surnames changed over time due to varying dialects and pronunciation.
Reissen is also believed to be a version of the name Reisen, derived from the Middle High German word reise meaning journey or travel. It was a very common strategy for people to adopt the names of the cities they were from, so this may explain the different spelling of the name Reissen, as a way to signify its origin.
The name is largely concentrated in Jewish communities, and is likely to have first appeared in Jewish documents in the 10th century. Research of the Reissen family tree shows many branches, including those headed by a Rabbi Reissen in the 18th century, and lead by an Orthodox Rabbi Reissen in the 19th century.
Today, the Reissen surname is found throughout the world, with many of its descendants spread in countries such as the United States, Poland, Germany, and many more. Those bearing the Reissen name can feel proud to know that their name has such a strong cultural and historical meaning, and likely descended from a long line of tailors and hard-working ancestral roots.
Order DNA origin analysisReissen: Where does the name Reissen come from?
The last name Reissen is a rare surname that is mainly found in Germany. It is believed to originate from the Old Germanic ‘REISEN’ which means ‘treeless area’. This name likely referred to a grassland.
Reissen is most common in Bavaria, Germany, where almost 3,200 people bear the surname. The name is also fairly widespread in other German states, such as Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Berlin. Reissen can also be found in Austria and Switzerland, although in much lower numbers.
Internationally, the Reissen surname has spread to English-speaking countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the United States. Reissen is also quite common in some Slavic countries, like Russia, Serbia, and Slovakia.
The highest concentrations of people with the Reissen surname can be found in Germany and the United Kingdom. It is estimated that there are over 4,700 people worldwide using the surname Reissen.
Variations of the surname Reissen
Reissen is a variant of the surname Reese, which is derived from the Old French mot “resce”, meaning “fox” or “cleverness”. It is a common German and English origin surname.
The most common variant of the Reissen surname is Reiss. This spelling is most commonly found among German speakers and in some cases, even French speakers. Variants can be found spellings such as Ries, Riess, Riesz, Reisser, Reissler, Reisinger, Resch, Reshe, and Reiss.
In addition to these variants, the surname can also appear in its pluralized form, which is either Reissens, Ryssens, and RIessen. It can also have a double “s” at the end, as in Reiszens.
In England, the most common spelling is Reese, which is found in areas with a sizable Welsh population. There is also a variant spelling of Reece in parts of Germany.
Other surnames of the same origin include Raes, Rai, Rais, and Ray. There are also other surnames, such as Reor, Reysz, Reissel, Reisel, Reiske, and Reismann, which all share the same origin as the Reissen surname.
In total, there are about twenty known different spellings and surnames of the same origin as Reissen.
Famous people with the name Reissen
- Vivienne Reissen: Vivienne Reissen is an American stylist and an advocate for ethical fashion. She helped establish the Circular Design Lab, a collaboration of industry, government, and academic partners working towards reducing textile waste.
- Elias Reissen: Elias Reissen is a Danish esports player known for playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. He has won numerous tournaments as a member of the team Ninjas in Pyjamas.
- Karl Reissen: Karl Reissen is a German entrepreneur and engineer. He is the founder and CEO of Rheinmetall AG, an automotive and aerospace engineering firm.
- Abigaile Reissen: Abigaile Reissen is a Russian artist known for her sculpture themed paintings. Her works focus on themes of womanhood, identity, and culture.
- Rainer Reissen: Rainer Reissen is a Belgian film director who’s work has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlinale, amongst others. He has directed 5 feature films thus far.
- Delia Reissen: Delia Reissen is an American novelist known for her works of science fiction and fantasy. She has authored 8 novels, several short stories, and a comic series.