Surname Gessl - Meaning and Origin
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Gessl: What does the surname Gessl mean?
The last name Gessl is a common name of German origin, and is derived from an occupational name related to the German word for tenant farmer, 'Geselle'. The name is likely to refer to a family of tenant farmers who were responsible for, or had been in charge of, the tenants on an estate. In Old German, the word 'geselle' specifically referred to someone who leased land from an estate owner. As such, the Gessl surname likely originated as a way of distinguishing the tenant farmers from others in the local area.
The Gessl surname is quite common in Germany, and can also be found in small numbers across Europe. The name is also found in many parts of the United States, where it has its own unique spelling variations, such as Geessel, Güßl, Gessle and Gesslein. Other countries in which the surname is present include Canada, Australia, England, and Ireland.
The earliest documented records of the name date back to the Medieval period in Germany, where it is mentioned in various church records. It is believed that the Gessl surname first appeared in Bavaria, but had spread across parts of Germany by the end of the 18th century. In more recent times, the name has become established in many other countries through migration, making it a globally recognized name.
Order DNA origin analysisGessl: Where does the name Gessl come from?
The last name Gessl is most common today in the German-speaking countries of Europe, primarily in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is also found in other parts of the world, particularly the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, due to European emigration and immigration patterns in past centuries.
The Gessl surname is suggested to have originated in Bavaria and can likely trace its roots back to the Middle Ages. Back then, many families adopted a variant form of a parent’s personal name, known as a patronymic. As such, the Gessl surname may have derived from the name Gessler or Gesser, a diminutive of ‘Gessler’ which itself was derived from the German word for ‘goose.’
The Gessl surname is thought to have been in use since at least the 17th century and was found especially in Eastern Bavaria and Styria, according to German scholars. One of the earliest records of the Gessl surname can be found in a Church Birth Register from Stefanberg, Styria, Austria, in the year 1702.
Today, the Gessl surname is the 363rd most common name in Austria, the 547th most common name in Germany, and the 783rd most common name in Switzerland. It is also found in the United States, where it is the 15,590th most common name overall, according to the 2020 United States Census.
Variations of the surname Gessl
The surname Gessl is of German origin and belongs to the family of names derived from a place-name or topographic features, most likely referring to someone who lived at a place where a gusher or spring of water was found. The variant spellings of Gessl include Gessel, Gessle, Gesslle, Gissel, Gisselle, and Giseel. Common surnames of the same origin are Geselle, Gissil, Gesslman, Gisel, and Gisell.
Gessel is the most common alternative spelling for Gessl and is believed to have evolved from an old German dialect. This spelling could also be used to denote a style of German folk music and dance called Gessel, a genre that was popularized in Bavaria and Bohemia during the late Middle Ages.
Gessle is another variant spelling of Gessl and denotes a person from a place called Gesele, which is a village in the German-speaking region of Switzerland. Gissel and Gisselle are more modern-day versions of Gessl, and could refer to someone from the former Prussian city of Gizycko.
Giseel is believed to be an Anglicized form of Belorussian Giseł, which translates to ‘a water puddle’. Gesslman is a common German surname that is likely derived from the personal name Gōsmar, which combines gōs, meaning ‘gush’, with mari, meaning ‘famous’. Gisel and Gisell are variants of both Gessl and Gisel which are also believed to be derived from Gōsmar.
Famous people with the name Gessl
- Alfred Gessl: Austrian composer and conductor
- Martin Gessl: Austrian television presenter
- Götz Gessl: Swiss curler
- Fritz Gessl: Austrian composer and conductor
- Rainer Gessl: Austrian political scientist
- Gerhard Gessl: Austrian footballer
- Paul Gessl: Austrian pianist, conductor and composer
- Eduard Gessl: Austrian cyclist and rower
- Ludwig Gessl: Austrian chess master
- David Gessl: Austrian actor