Surname Gerste - Meaning and Origin
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Gerste: What does the surname Gerste mean?
The last name Gerste is German in origin, originally likely coming from the Middle High German term "gerste" meaning "barley". It is a common surname among people of German ethnicity, however it can also be found in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe and the United States.
The surname Gerste likely started appearing during the Middle Ages as a descriptive name, indicating someone who worked with barley or was associated with it in some way. During this time in Germany, many people were assigned nicknames or descriptive surnames, indicating a particular physical appearance or occupation of the individual. In some cases, it might have also been used to describe someone who hailed from an area in which barley was grown, as the soil and climate would have been ideal for its cultivation.
Sometimes, variations of the name Gerste can appear; this includes Gierste, Garste, and Gerst. All of these spellings would have been used in various parts of Germany and all would have come from the common term "gerste".
The surname Gerste is still fairly common in Germany today, but those of German descent who have spread to other parts of the world often carry the name as well.
Order DNA origin analysisGerste: Where does the name Gerste come from?
The surname Gerste is found primarily in Germany, where it is the 29th most common surname. It is also common in other Germanic countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
In the United States, the surname Gerste is most common in Macoupin County, Illinois, where there were 62 people with the surname in 2010. It is most commonly found in Middle and Southwest regions of the country, with concentrations in Illinois, Ohio, Florida, and Missouri.
In Europe, there is no single country that can be pinpointed as the main country where the surname occurs with the highest frequency. In fact, it occurs across several European countries, though its presence appears to be most common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Since the surname is of German origin, it is most often associated with people of German heritage. It is not limited to those of German heritage, however, but can also be found among people of other nationalities or ethnicities who have family ties to German-speaking countries or whose ancestors adopted the name following their migration to a new location.
Variations of the surname Gerste
The surname Gerste is an Ashkenazi Jewish and German surname derived from the word “gerst”, meaning “barley”. This surname is related to other German surnames such as Gerstenberger, Gersch, Gerstenfeld, and Gersting. There are several variant spellings of the surname Gerste, including Geste, Geiste, Garst, Gärste, Garsten, and Garstke.
The Gerste surname is also seen in other countries and cultures in its various variants. In the United States, some variant spellings of Gerste are Gerst, Gerstner, and Gerstein. In the Netherlands, the variants Gers, Gersst, and Gerssens are seen. In Poland, common variants are Giersta, Gierst, Gierstä, and Gierste. In Sweden, the variants Gäster, Gäst, Gästlin, and Gästlinder are seen.
There are also surnames that are related to Gerste, but are not the same surname. One of the most notable is Gerstenberger, which is derived from a place name and likely has the same origin as the Gerste surname. Other surnames related to Gerste include Gerstl, Gerstreit, and Gerstin.
To sum up, the surname Gerste has several variant spellings in different countries and cultures. The most common variants are Geiste, Garst, Gers, Gärste, Gerst, Gerstenberger, and Gerstner. It is also related to other surnames, such as Gerstreit, Giersta, and Gerstin.
Famous people with the name Gerste
- Erich Gerster: a German physicist, philosopher and author.
- Nicholas Gerster: an American architect and interior designer.
- Martin Gerster: a German Social Democrat politician.
- Jana Gerster: a German rower who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Christian Gerster: a German footballer.
- Jakob Gerster: a German astronomer, meteorologist, physicist and inventor.
- Sven Gerster: a German actor, screenwriter, and film director.
- André Gerster: a German doctor, psychotherapist and author.
- Elfriede Gerster: an Austrian ballet dancer and choreographer.
- Ruth Gerster: an American author, journalist, and academic.