Surname Thess - Meaning and Origin
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Thess: What does the surname Thess mean?
Thess is a last name of Greek origin, derived from Thessaly, the northernmost region of mainland Greece. The thesis was an ancient Greekisan city that was considered to be the birthplace of Achilles' mother, and later became the seat of the Macedonian dynasty.
As such, Thess is a name steeped in antiquity and significant historical meaning. Throughout Greek history, Thessaly has been an important region, hosting strategic battles in times of war and becoming a cultural center in times of peace. Thess = has been celebrated throughout Greek literature and serves as the birthplace of many renowned Greek cultural traditions, such as the Olympic Games, which were first staged in the city of Thess trial.
The geographical location of Thess has also shaped its history. As an area located in the plains of northern Greek between the borders of the modern countries of Macedonia and Turkey, Thess has been a vital crossroads for military activity, trade and commerce, and cultural exchange. It was this strategic importance that made Thessaly a target of Greek expansion in the classical age, with Alexander the Great pushing his empire's boundaries to the region's edges.
Given its deep historical significance and varied geographical influences, Thess is steeped in a rich cultural identity and has shaped not only the history of Greece, but that of the wider world. Thess is a name which not only carries personal significance but much greater societal histories within its syllables.
Order DNA origin analysisThess: Where does the name Thess come from?
Thess is a surname that is found in various countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Scandinavia. It is also common in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2019 Thess was the 16,850th most common surname in the United States. Thess is most common in the Midwest, with a significant presence in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. The name is especially prevalent in North Dakota, where it ranks among the top 250 most common surnames.
In Germany, Thess is the 4,207th most common surname. Thess is also prominent in Switzerland, where it is the 483rd most common surname, and in Austria, where it is the 271st most common surname.
Thess is a surname of Germanic origin, originating as a toponymic surname from the given name Thessa, which is most likely derived from the Germanic element THEESA, meaning people. The family name was originally looked upon as a sign of strength and protection in many Germanic countries. Its most popular bearer is Carl Thess, a famous German conductor.
Variations of the surname Thess
Thess is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word ‘theos’, meaning ‘gods’. Variants, spellings and surnames of Thess include Tess, Tesse, Tes, Thysse, Tysse, and Tyss. There are also variants for English, Irish, and Spanish families, such as the names: Thaxton, Tesson, Teixeira and Thies.
Thess is a globally distributed surname and is most common in Northern Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. There, variations of this name have been found in census records dating back as far as the 13th century. In English records, surnames very similar to Thess have been identified since the 13th century, and the variants Teixeira and Thaxton have been recorded since the 14th century.
In the United States, Thess was not an especially common surname before the 20th century, with the variant Thaxton being more common. During the Great Migration of the 1840s and 1850s, however, many people with the Thess surname moved from England, Ireland, and Spain to the United States and Canada. Today, Thess is the 59,406th most common surname in the United States, and its variants are even less common.
Variations in spelling of the surname Thess throughout history have been common, as have been variants in pronunciation. Often, the differences in spelling were due to the preferences of the scribe recording the name, although variants of Thess may also reflect an ancestor’s patronage of a local religious group or location.
Famous people with the name Thess
- Keren Thess: Dutch actress and host
- Lothar Thess: German former professional footballer
- Chris Thess: American professional baseball player
- David Thess: Hungarian former professional footballer
- Peter Thess: German composer and jazz musician
- Julia Thess: German actress
- Rita Thess: German singer and actress
- Scott Thess: American musician
- Lucie Thess: German model and actress
- Alexandra Thess: German film actress and singer