Surname von Giese - Meaning and Origin
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von Giese: What does the surname von Giese mean?
The last name von Giese is of German origin and means 'of Giese', indicating that the bearer of this name was from the region of Giese, located in northern Germany. This site was mentioned in records since the 12th century, when it was a fortified town with a strategic location on the Harz mountain.
The name von Giese is associated with noble families, indicating that the original bearer of this surname was either a notable member of the regional aristocracy or was granted this name because of their involvement with the local nobility.
A typical feature among German names, von Giese originally served as a way of distinguishing a specific branch or line of a family, and typically it did not divide a family into distinct units or family lines until much later. Therefore, the last name von Giese traditionally evolved to designate someone with a link and association with a specific area.
Today, individuals with this last name can be found throughout Germany, as it has been a name for centuries and is associated with a long, illustrious family history. It is a name that still holds significance today and is passed down through the generations, in some cases even spanning multiple centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Giese: Where does the name von Giese come from?
The last name von Giese is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a German surname derived from Middle High German phrase "gisen" meaning "woods". The von Giese family is thought to originate in Silesia, a historical region now part of Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany.
The von Giese family has a rich history of nobility. Many of its members, in the 16th century, were titled Baron von Giese and Count von Giese. By the early 19th century, the prosperity of this family had waned and they were no longer considered members of nobility.
The von Giese's contemporary presence in Germany is most prominent in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Bavaria. In these states, the von Giese surname is still quite common. However, the majority of von Gieses living in Germany is concentrated in Berlin and Brandenburg.
Outside of Germany, the von Giese surname is still present in some countries like Switzerland, Austria, and the United States.
Today, von Giese serves not only as a surname for this family, but also as a reminder of the noble history behind it. It is remarkable to look back and be reminded of the significance this family has had on modern Germany.
Variations of the surname von Giese
Von Giese is an old German surname with several variants and spellings. It can be spelled Giese, Gise, Geese, Geise, Gies, Gheise, Geeze, Geez, Gees, Gise, Gieser, Gise and Gyser. There are also variations in the spelling of the word von, such as von, vonn, vonne, and voun.
Variants of von Giese are the Dutch surname Kievit, the German surname Kies and the French surname Gisele. These are related surnames that all descend from the same root.
The Kurzname (short form) of von Giese is Gie, and this is often used in German records. The truncated forms Gieß, Giez and Gies often appear in records as well.
The earliest known record of von Giese is from 1351 in the town of Wurzburg, Germany. By the 1600s, the von Giese family was established in Germany and by the 1800s, they had spread to other parts of Europe.
The von Giese family has multiple branches extending all over the world today. In North America, these branches include Geese and Gise in the United States, Gyser in Canada, and Gese in Mexico.
There is also a branch of the von Giese family in the United Kingdom, mainly located in Scotland. The variants here are Giss, Gees, Gise and Geez.
Variations of von Giese also exist in Germany today, with Giese and Gheise the most common. Finally, there is also a branch of the von Giese family in Italy, known as Gisele.
Famous people with the name von Giese
- Friedrich von Giese (1838–1923), German military historian and writer
- Bernhard von Giese (1552–1621), German astronomer and mathematician
- Arthur Philipp von Giese (1811–1885), German entomologist
- Wilhelm von Giese (1853–1936), German classical philologist, historian of Hellenism
- Johann Gustav von Giese (1754–1829), German jurist, legal precursor of the German national constitution
- Barbara von Giese (born 1970), German newsreader
- Franz von Giese (1804–1899), German diplomat and minister to various German states
- Friedrich Rudolf von Giese (1818–1882), German geologist and paleontologist
- Johann Julius von Giese (1767–1852), German pastor, theologian, and writer
- Freiwald von Giese (1721–1794), German theologian and pioneering Church historian