Surname Kroiß - Meaning and Origin
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Kroiß: What does the surname Kroiß mean?
The last name Kroiß is widely thought to be a German-origin surname derived from the word "Kreuz," meaning "cross." In this case, the name would have originally been used to indicate that a person was from a family or area identified by a particular cross or other insignia. Depending on where the surname is found, Kroiß may also be used as a diminutive version of the similar-sounding German surname Kroh, which can refer to someone from an area known as a "Krohseite," which literally translates to "bear side."
Historically, the first recorded use of the surname Kroiß appeared in 1541 in the Silesian region of Germany. It later appeared in the nearby towns of Kaferberg and Poehla in 1678 and 1788, respectively. From there, the name eventually spread across Europe.
It is likely that the original holders of the name Kroiß would have either been small-land holders or craftspeople associated with weaving and tailoring. In some cases, the name may simply be derived from the German word kroisch, meaning a kind of dialect spoken in parts of Bavaria and Austria.
In modern times, the name Kroiß is still very common in Central Europe, especially in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Convicts, migrants, and refugees bearing the name have been documented arriving in the United States, Canada, and Australia in the early nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The surname is also associated with a number of notable individuals, such as 19th- and 20th-century German archaeologist and theologian Hermann Kroiß.
Order DNA origin analysisKroiß: Where does the name Kroiß come from?
The last name Kroiß is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is of Germanic origins and is derived from the word “krooth,” which is an old German word meaning “crown” or “courage.” This surname has been in use in Germany since the Middle Ages.
The Kroiß surname is more commonly found in the state of Bavaria, where it is the 12th most common surname in the region. It is also a popular surname in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. In the rest of Germany, it is less common but still present. It is estimated that about 0.17% of all Germans bear the Kroiß surname.
In Austria, Kroiß is even more common as it ranks 16th out of all the surnames in the country. About 0.2% of all Austrians were known to bear this name in 2019. In Switzerland, the surname ranks 224th out of all surnames in the country and is thought to be held by about 0.0014% of the Swiss population.
The Kroiß surname is still present in many parts of Europe in today's world and its popularity has been steadying in recent years.
Variations of the surname Kroiß
Kroiß is a surname originating from the German region of Bavaria. It is a variant of the classic German surname, “Kreuz”, meaning “Cross”. Variants and spellings of “Kreuz” and “Kroiß” range from “Kreutz”, “Krouz”, “Krautz”, “Krause”, “Krauss”, “Kroiz”, “Kreyz”, “Kraiz”, “Kryz”, and “Kroys”.
The surname “Kroiß” can also be found in the form of “Kross”, a similar variation on the word Cross. “Kross”, is derived from the German word “Kreuz” when used as a surname can be found in records from the 15th century, corresponding with most of the other variations used in this time period.
Surnames of the same origin for “Kroiß” are “Krouz”, “Kraatz”, “Krauss”, and “Kreutzberg”, which is a combination of “Kreuz” and the German word “Berg”, meaning “mountain”. In relation to the US, records exist of German immigrants of the Kroiß surname changing the spelling to “Kreutz” or “Kreus” The original Greek spelling of “Kreuz” also exists in records from Greece, Turkey, and rulers of the Byzantine Empire.
In addition to those variants, “Kroiß” is also known to exist in other regions, such as English and Dutch, as “Kroes” and “Kruijs”, respectively. In Dutch, this version of the name is often found with the added suffix “van” in records.
In closing, Kroiß is a common German surname with many cousins from throughout Europe. It has variants and spellings that vary in popularity and root of origin. It may take some effort to track down the right spelling, but the name Kroiß or it’s many variants all have the same meaning: Cross.
Famous people with the name Kroiß
- Johannes Kroiß, an Austrian footballer who plays as a midfielder for LASK Linz in the Austrian Bundesliga.
- Jennifer Kroiß, German actress and singer perhaps best known for her role as Lilli in the German teen series "Hinter Gittern: Der Frauenknast" from 1997-2002.
- Nikolaus Kroiß, Austrian physicist and Director of the Institute for Materials and Processes at the Leibniz University Hannover.
- Konrad Kroiß, Austrian bobsledding champion who competed in the luge events at the 1956 and 1960 Winter Olympics.
- Annette Kroiß-Baumann, German soprano singer and judge on Deutschland sucht den Superstar, Germany's version of American Idol.
- Katrin Kroiß, Austrian alpine skier who took part in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Josef Kroiß, Austrian ice hockey player who represented Austria at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
- Karl Kroiß, Austrian ski jumper who competed in the 1948 Winter Olympics.
- Magdalena Kroiß, Austrian figure skater and current President of the Austrian Figure Skating Federation.
- Jürgen Kroiß, German composer, keyboardist, producer, and studio engineer known for his work with legendary Krautrock group Amon Düül II.