Surname Teßloff - Meaning and Origin
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Teßloff: What does the surname Teßloff mean?
The surname Teßloff is a German surname with variant spellings such as Tesloff, Tessloff, and Teßloff. The origin of the name symbolizes someone who hails from a region of Saxony in Germany. The Saxon-Thuringia region is the primary source for individuals with the Teßloff surname.
The root of the name is written in two parts: Te (Teh) and loff (loffer). Te, meaning a person who lives at the location, and loff, meaning an area of fields. Therefore, the name actually means one who lives in an area of open spaces.
It is believed that those with this surname most likely were agricultural laborers or derived from a line of farmers who farmed the land. It is known that many with the surname Teßloff settled in some of the German regions during the 18th century, but a large number immigrated to the United States and now live in various states.
Those with the Teßloff surname likely have German roots however, some may have moved and adopted other cultural practices and traditions. As such, the surname Teßloff can be used to denote a person of German descent, as well as someone who adopted the surname on relocating to another country.
Order DNA origin analysisTeßloff: Where does the name Teßloff come from?
The last name Teßloff is mainly found in Germany. It is one of the oldest surnames in Central Europe, although it is not considered particularly common in the present day. The Teßloff surname is spelt differently across many regions, such as Tesselhoff, Tesslhoff, and Tesselhoff.
The first known ancestor to have the Teßloff surname was Johann Heinrich Teßloff, who was born in 1503 in German state, Sachsen. This family flourished in the 16th century, producing prominent nobles with strong ties to Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and other German states. Today, the Teßloff name is still connected to some old aristocratic families, albeit rarely.
In addition, this surname is also found amongst other families. Records have spotted the Teßloff name predominantly in the area bordering France, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. In more modern times, branches of the Teßloff family have migrated to Hungary, Russia, Latin America, and the United Kingdom.
Those possessing the Teßloff surname are a mix of nobility, workers, and middle-class civil servants. The surname first took a decline in prevalence in the second half of the 19th century during the unprecedented immigration cycles of the Industrial Age. The Teßloff name is only spotted in small numbers in the present day, particularly in Germany.
Variations of the surname Teßloff
The surname Teßloff (also spelled Tessloff) is a German last name derived from the Middle High German word “tesel”, meaning “branch” or “twig”. It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, referring to a woodworker who worked with branches.
Variants of the surname Teßloff include Teßlow, Teslow, Teslau, Teslaff, Tesslow, Tesslau, Tesselhoff, and Tessloff. All of these spellings share the same origin.
The surname Teßloff has several closely related surnames of the same origin. Tesslauer is a variant that likely originates from the German city of Tesslau, located in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. Tessman is a surname derived from the German word for “man of Tess” and may refer to people from the city of Tesslau. Tesselhoff is another predominantly German surname that likely refers to someone living near a branch or twig.
The Teßloff surname can be found in several countries throughout Europe, as well as the US. In the US, many descendants have increasingly Anglicized the surname to “Tessloff” or “Tesslow”. However, no matter the spelling, all of these surnames share a common origin.
Famous people with the name Teßloff
- Manfred Teßloff (1935–2010), German journalist and book author
- Rainer Teßloff (1925–1989), German musicologist and composer
- Thomas Teßloff (b. 1935), German Province Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
- Johannes Teßloff (1902–1973), German industrial magnate and businessman
- Frank Teßloff (b. 1941), German music pedagogue and music publisher
- Herbert Teßloff (1893–1962), German classical philologist
- Adolf Teßloff (1860–1921), German economist and publisher
- Georg Teßloff (1850–1935), German banker and industrialist
- Carl Teßloff (1764–1841), German lawyer and chancellor of the German principalities
- Christian Teßloff (1748–1815), German lawyer and law professor